The Truths of Love
by Lady Tsukino
Summary: Usagi was your average girl. And then she fell in love, but with the wrong person. Soon, her life is turned upside down, and it's all she can do to remain sane..
1. The Truths of Love: Chapter one

The Truths of Love: Chapter one

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Never have, never will, so please don't sue me.

AN: Hey guys. This is my first fic, so please, please let me know what you think. I know it's probably a bit boring, and I'm sorry, but I'll do my best to make it better. Please tell me what I can do to make this story better. Much love to you all!

She was running. She didn't care that it was raining, or that her clothes were soaked through to the skin. That her body was chilled to the bone. All she knew was she had to run. She had to get away. Because if she didn't, he would find her, and he would hurt her. Again.

As she ran, her thoughts raced over the past few months of her life. It had all started so innocently. She walked into the office building where she worked, minding her own business, like any other day. She was dressed in a white silk button down blouse, a light pink jacket over it, and matching light pink dress pants, and on her feet she wore white sandals. Her long, silvery blonde hair was pulled up into its usual style, two buns on the top of her head with the left over hair hanging down her back down to her knees. She smiled at Naru, her best friend from middle school, and now her secretary as she walked to the elevator to head to her office. That was when she saw him.

Her first impression was that he was an angel. Indeed, that was what he looked like, with his golden hair and his baby blue eyes. His face was perfectly sculpted, and not a feature was out of place. He looked like God had sculpted him, and placed him on earth, which made no sense, for a man of his beauty stood out amongst all the normal and plain looking people in the streets. Dressed in a white shirt with denim jeans, he gave every appearance of being an angel. Her heart sped up as she looked at him, and her next thoughts were, 'I'm in love.'

Quickly putting on a smile, she went over to him and stuck out her hand. "Hi there," she said with a smile. "My name is Usagi Tsukino, manager of KDS Inc. And you are..?"

The man smiled at this girl. 'Damn, she is good looking. And the manager. Not a bad catch.' Taking the hand the girl offered, he said, "My name is Matt LaClare. I just moved here from America, and I was looking for a job. A friend of mine said that KDS was looking for employees, so I thought I'd drop in and check it out," he said with an easy smile.

Usagi's heart just about melted at the smile he gave her, and at the sound of his voice. It was PERFECT. A deep, baritone voice, with a strange accent she credited in having come from America. "Well, Mr. LaClare, let's see what we can do for you," Usagi said, her professionalism taking over. "Where have you worked before, and what did you do?"

And for awhile, they talked, going to her office and discussing his background, and all that he had done for other companies he had worked for, and what he planned to do for this company. After an hour and a half, Usagi sat back in her chair and smiled.

"Well, Mr. LaClare, welcome to KDS Inc. When can you start?"

Matt smiled widely. "You mean I got the job?"

"That's what I said," Usagi responded with a smile.

"Well then," Matt said, "why don't I take you out for dinner to celebrate? I'll pick you up at around... say, 7:00?"

Usagi blushed and looked down, and then smiled and nodded. "Alright," she said shyly, "I'd like that. I'll see you at seven, then."

Usagi smiled bitterly as she reflected on how well it had all started. He had been the epitome of sweet, of kindness, of everything she could want. He had complimented her on how she looked every day. He had laughed at all her jokes. He had comforted her when she was sad. He had helped her with difficult situations in her business. He had done so much for her. But then, he changed. There were small changes at first, such as teasing her that she was getting fat, and laughing too loudly each time she would accidentally fall down. But then it was more obvious. His teasing became more than teasing, and when she'd look to see if he was teasing or not, the look in his eyes was completely serious. And then he started making fun of her hair style, telling her it was childish.

At first, she had thought it was harmless, but despite that fact, she stopped eating as much as she normally had, and when he said her hair looked bad, she changed it from her normal style into a single pony tail.

But then he had started talking about her friends. Telling her that she was just a big burden to them, and the only reason they stayed with her was because they felt sorry for her. At first, she'd frowned it off. But as time went on, and he kept telling her this, she started to notice things. How Rei Hino would tell her how useless she was. How even Ami Mizuno would shake her head each time Usagi got a problem wrong or couldn't figure out the problem. How Makoto told her about how much she ate, and how Minako kept taking over plans for what they would do.

The only one he didn't seem to pick on was Mamoru Chiba, Usagi's good friend since middle school. Though they hadn't always been such good friends, they'd worked out their problems, and realized how much they cared for one another. But the reason why he didn't mention Mamo-chan at all was because Matt and Mamoru were good friends.

So little changes kept occurring in Matt's behavior, and when Usagi went to talk to Mamoru, and Matt found out about it, that was when the real trouble began.

Her mind played over that scene for the millionth time.

He'd taken her out to a nice dinner, and then brought her back to his apartment, where he had proceeded to back her into a corner and slapped her.

"So, you little bitch, you thought you'd go crying to Mamoru because you didn't like how I was treating you, hmm? You thought that he would make it all better for you, and you wouldn't have to deal with me anymore, is that it?" Matt hissed into her ear.

Frightened, Usagi shook her head. "N-no Matt, of course not! I just wanted to talk to him and..."

Her voice was cut off as Matt's hand raised and he slapped her again, knocking her to the floor and standing over her, his huge body looming over hers.

"And what, Usagi? Complain about me? Well know this," Matt hissed, "even if you told him everything I've done to you, he won't believe you. He'll believe me over you any day. Because guys stick together, and frankly, my dear, all you are is a nice piece of ass that," he trailed off and licked his lips as he looked down at the body sprawled beneath him, "that I plan to take tonight... right now..."

And with that said, he bent down, picked her up and threw her down on the bed, hitting her once more when she protested, before moving back, pulling his pants off, and pulling the dress she was wearing up around her hips.

"It's your own fault, _darling_," he muttered out. "You brought this on yourself. You have no one to blame but yourself." Then he proceeded to rape her.

Her thoughts sped back to the present, and tears ran down her cheeks. 'It was my fault,' she thought. 'He told me it was my fault, and it must have been my fault. Otherwise he wouldn't have done it.' She nodded to herself and stumbled on.

As she got to the park, she finally tripped and went sprawling down, face first, onto the ground, and into a huge puddle of mud. Shivering, Usagi sat up, pulling her tattered clothing closer to her body and standing up once more, only to find a bush, which she promptly headed over for, laying beneath it, not caring anymore about how the rain was still coming through the bush and down onto her. 'I just need to rest,' she thought, her mind a haze. 'Just a few minutes... that's all... just... a few...' And her eyes closed, and she drifted off to sleep.

"...and then he said 'I know your name and I want to be yours!'" Minako spluttered out, holding her sides and laughing with the rest of the girls, minus Usagi, and Mamoru sat, waiting for Usagi. After a few minutes, the laughter died down into chuckles and then trailed off into silence, with the exception of the rain beating outside, and the sounds of Motoki Furuhata running the counter of the Crown Arcade where the girls and Mamoru sat.

With a sigh, Ami looked down at her watch, pushing her short azure colored hair from her eyes. "Do you guys know where Usagi is? Even for her, this is late." Ami said in her soft voice.

The rest of the people at the table frowned, looking outside at the pouring rain.

"Yeah," Rei Hino said quietly, "and not to mention, this is the third meeting she has missed. I wonder where she is..." Rei's voice trailed off and she looked down, her violet colored eyes worried as she thought of her best friend.

Makoto looked up, her green eyes worried. "Did anyone else think she's been acting strange these last few weeks? I mean, when she first got with Matt, all was fine and dandy, but then--"

"Do you mean Matt LaClare?" Mamoru cut in.

Rei, Minako, Ami, and Makoto all stared at Mamoru as though he had started speaking a different language.

"Of course Matt LaClare, she IS dating him, after all," Rei said. "Didn't you know?"

Mamoru's heart twisted at this bit of news, as he had realized a short time ago how he actually felt for the blonde haired girl. Of course, he would never admit it to anyone, let alone Usagi's best friends. And then he remembered something. Something that made his blood run cold.

"Mamoru," Usagi had said a few days ago, "Matt has been acing strangely lately. And I don't know what to make of it. Lately, he's been telling me weird things about the girls, and he's started to... well... he's started to hit me."

"Now Usagi, I'm sure you're just exaggerating. Matt wouldn't hurt a fly, let alone you. And besides, I don't see any bruises on you. But if you want, I will talk to him, and ask him what's going on."

Mamoru groaned slightly, and all the heads at the table turned to look at him again.

"Mamoru. Do you know something we should know?" Minako asked, her blue eyes intense upon his face.

"Maybe... but I didn't think anything of it at the time! I thought she was making it up, or exaggerating..." Mamoru said, and then he told them of the conversation that he and Usagi had had.

At the end of the conversation, Rei let out a hiss of outrage. "And you didn't TELL us about this? And more importantly, you SAID that to her?! How COULD you?! Ami, Minako, Makoto, we have to go find her. She could be hurt. Mamoru... you do what you want." And with that, the four girls stood up and raced out into the cold, rainy night to look for their friend.

After a moment, Mamoru stood as well, running a hand through his ebon colored hair and closing his ocean blue eyes for a moment, before opening them once more, a determined look deep within them. After throwing some yen on the table, he turned and left the Arcade, heading deeper into Tokyo, toward the park where Usagi usually went to think things out.

Usagi woke up after a few hours, shivering and soaked to the bone, and unable to move. She whimpered softly as she tried to sit up and found she couldn't, so she lay as she was, hoping that she would be able to move soon.

As she lay there, she wondered what it was that had woken her up. She thought it had been a noise, but straining her ears, she heard nothing but the sound of the rain still pounding down. Then, suddenly, it came again. The sound of a name...her name... being called, over and over.

Panic flooded through her at the sound of the male voice. 'He's found me!' her mind screamed out, and she curled herself into a tighter ball, hoping he wouldn't look at this bush and see the bright pink color of the dress beneath it.

"Usagi!"

There it came again. That voice, calling her name. She tried to muffle a scream, but despite her tries, another whimper escaped from her throat. 'Hasn't he done enough damage?' She thought to herself. 'Why does he want me back? To do more to me? Of course... he needs to punish me! That must be it.' Her mind recoiled from the thought, but she knew that must be it, and with the sound she had made, it was only a matter of time before he found her and took her back again. Closing her eyes, she waited for the inevitable.

Mamoru walked quickly through the park, cupping his hands around his mouth and calling out Usagi's name repeatedly.

"Usagi! Where are you?" he cried out, desperate. And then he heard it. The faintest of sounds coming from the bush. Quickly, he ran to the bush, pushing the twigs and branches out of the way to find the thing he dreaded most: Usagi, curled up into a ball against the rain, her clothes soaked through, and new bruises forming on her face. He drew in a quick, shocked breath and then bent over her.

"Don't worry, Usagi... you're safe now. I have you."

As he said this, he gathered her in his arms, and as he did so, watched as her eyes fluttered open.

"M-Mamoru?" She asked softly,

"It's me, Usagi-chan. You're safe now. We're going home."

She paused, trying to gather the strength to talk. "Mamoru... don't take me back to him... he'll hurt me again... and don't... don't take me to the girls... I'm only a bother to them..." That said, her voice trailed off and she sank into a state of unconsciousness.


	2. The Truths of Love: Chapter two

The Truths of Love: Chapter two

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Never have, never will, so please don't sue me.

Usagi was floating. Floating in a sea of endless pain and darkness, and she didn't know if she would ever surface from this desolate abyss of nothingness. But something was calling her back. Something was trying to pull her out of this dismal place, and she reached for that thing, struggling against all that tried to hold her back, to hold her in this place.

With a gasp, her eyes flew open, and she was staring into the most beautiful pair of eyes she had ever seen. They were a deep, dark blue, and swimming with concern and fear. Those eyes anchored her. They kept her in the present for right now, and they were her only life line.

"M-Mamoru," she managed to say, though it came out as more of a croak than an intelligent word.

"Usa-chan, you're alright," Mamoru breathed. "Well, you're alive, at any rate," he amended. "Tell me what I can do for you. What do you want? What do you need? What can I--"

His voice was cut off as Usagi whimpered in fear and turned onto her side, curling up in a ball, pressing her fists to her ears.

"Go away! Just go away and leave me alone! I...I need to be alone!" She muttered, tossing fretfully on the bed, her forehead bathed in a light sheen of sweat. "Yes, go away, leave me alone, that's all. Don't hurt me anymore, please!" she cried out, and wrapped her arms around herself, curling tighter into a ball, tears leaking down her face.

Mamoru was genuinely shocked. What had happened to her? What had turned his bubbly, beautiful young Usagi into this frightened rabbit who leapt at every shadow?

"Usagi-chan..." He tried putting his hand on her shoulder only to have Usagi shrug it off, and retreat deeper into herself, her shaking becoming more intense, more sobs becoming louder at each attempt he made to comfort her, until he finally gave up and retreated from the room, shutting the door quietly behind him.

She was alone in the room. Uncurling from where she was in the bed, she lay straight, staring blankly up at the ceiling. 'I am alone,' she thought to herself. 'There is nothing left for me. Everyone is gone... the girls... mother and father and Shingo... oh, gods, Shingo... he's left me alone, dying in the plane crash that killed my parents as well...I'll never get to see him again, his sparkling eyes and his unruly head of hair... they've all left me, and now Matt has betrayed my trust, too. And now, I've pushed Mamoru away. The one person I might have had had left in the world is gone now. And I have no one to blame but myself.'

"M-Mamoru... come back..." she tried to call out, but her voice wouldn't work anymore. All that she could do was emit a soft kind of moan. So, giving up on being able to call him back, she closed her eyes and slipped into a dream filled sleep.

He was after her. She knew it, even as she would run further and further. She could feel him surrounding her, his dark laugh echoing around her.

"I'm coming for you, little bunny. You won't escape from me," his mocking voice called out to her. She ran around a corner... and straight into the chest of the person she dreaded most. Matt LaClare. There he was, holding her, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "I've caught you little bunny..."

Usagi screamed.

Mamoru had been sitting on the couch in his living room, contemplating what to do next. 'I can't call her friends... she asked me not to, and I won't betray her. What about her family? I could call them.' He thought to himself. He was about to reach for the phone when a blood curdling scream rang through his apartment.

"Usagi!" He cried, running to the bedroom and flinging the door open.

She was lying on the bed, her arms and legs flailing in the throes of a deep nightmare, unable to wake herself and bring her back to the present. Running to her side, he grabbed hold of her shoulders and pulled her to himself, holding her against his chest, trying to calm her thrashing.

Her eyes jerked open, her breathing harsh, uneven, and she looked around wildly, trying to remember where she was. That was when she realized she was being held. She muffled a scream and looked up, her eyes wide with terror. 'He's found me! He's taking me back, and I won't be able to get away again!' was her first thought. But then she realized that whoever it was that was holding her was whispering soft, soothing nothings into her hair.

'That's not right,' her mind said. 'Matt wouldn't do that. Which means that this isn't Matt... so... who is it?'

Finally able to get a better hold of herself, she forced herself to look up at the person holding her, and a breath she hadn't even realized she was holding was released when she saw it was Mamoru.

"Mamoru... I thought you were gone... I thought you'd left me, too!" She cried softly against his chest, clutching his shirt with both hands as she sobbed softly.

"Hush, Usako, all is well. I will never leave you," Mamoru whispered softly as she cried. Her heart wrenching sobs tore through his body, his heart going out to the young woman in front of him. As he spoke, he didn't seem to realize his use of the endearment Usako... it just felt so right, that he didn't even think.

Usagi stopped. Only one word seemed to seep through the haze of pain, sadness and loneliness she was feeling: Usako. Why would he call her that? And more importantly, how did he know that name? Only her father and Shingo ever knew it... Shingo... at the thought of her brother, her eyes welled up with tears again, and once more, she wept, but this time more from loss than from self pity.

Once her sobs died down, she was too exhausted to do anything but lay down. Her grip on Mamoru's shirt loosened and she fell onto the bed once more, her eyes closing. Soft sobs ripped through her body every once in awhile, until she fell asleep, tears still leaking down her cheeks. Mamoru watched as the girl quieted down, until nothing was left of her crying but the tear streaks on her cheeks.

He sat on the side of the bed, holding one of her hands, listening to the soft, rhythmic breathing as she slept, and decided that no matter what, he would not leave her side.

It was as he was holding her hand that he first noticed them. She had bruises, running up and down her arm. His eyes widened in shock, and he took hold of her other hand, gently tugging the sleeve of that arm back, wincing when she whimpered softly from pain, and saw the bruises on that arm as well. For a moment, all he saw was red, the rage in his body almost uncontrollable. He took a deep breath, and calmed himself as quickly as he could, but inside, he was raging.

Who the HELL would dare to harm this girl?! Who?! She was as innocent and sweet as could be! A new fear gripped him as he looked harder at the bruises on her arms and wrists, and, holding his breath, he slowly raised the top of her shirt, and his breath blew out. Hundreds of bruises covered her lower stomach and back, new and old. He lightly lowered her shirt back over her, trying to be as gentle as he could, so as not to cause her any more harm. Then, leaning over her, he placed the softest of kisses on her forehead, turned, and left the room.

Walking over to the couch, he collapsed, rubbing his face with a sigh. Who would want to hurt this girl? And why? She wouldn't harm a fly that was certain. He didn't understand, and he decided to call the only person he could. Motoki, his long time friend and companion.

Picking up the phone, Mamoru quickly dialed the phone number, and waited for Motoki to pick up.

After the third ring, there was a click.

"Hello?" Came a groggy voice from the other end of the line.

"Motoki, it's Mamoru. Look, I have to talk to you." Mamoru's voice trailed off, and he scrubbed a hand through his messy dark hair, trying to think of how he was going to put this without giving away his situation.

"I have this... this friend, right? And... he has a problem. See, he found Us... uh... he found someone that others thought was missing. He took her in, but when he went to call her friends, she told him not to, because she was a burden on them. But, something has happened to her, and I... HE'S not sure what to do. Should he call them and ask them to take care of her, or should he keep his promise, and not tell them anything? I...he needs your help, Motoki. I couldn't tell him what to do. Please, what is your advice?"

There was silence on the other end of the line, broken only by the sound of Motoki's breathing. Then there was a sigh.

"It depends, Mamoru. Is this girl a friend of his, or a complete stranger? Would she understand if he called the friends, or would she try to run away from both the friends, and the person who was caring for her, and inadvertently cause herself more pain?"

Mamoru was quiet for a moment, thinking it through. "No. She's not a stranger, but she would run away. I...he wants to keep her trust, but he doesn't know what to do. The girl is covered in bruises, and the guy can't get a hold of her family. He's at a loss of what to do, so he turned to me, and I turned to you."

Again, there was silence. Then Motoki spoke again.

"Mamoru, tell your _friend_ that things will work themselves out. Tell him not to worry, because in one way or another, everything will come together. He's a good person to be worrying about what she'll think of him if he calls the friends, especially once he promised that he wouldn't. However, if the friends somehow find out about him having her, and they confront him about it, tell him that he shouldn't deny it. It'll get both the worry off HIS chest and the worry off of their chests as well, ne? That's about all I can tell you on this matter. I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help."

Mamoru shook his head with a wry grin. "You've been more of a help than you know, Motoki. I'll tell him what you said, and hopefully it should ease the doubts and worries he is going through right now. Good night, Motoki."

"Goodnight, Mamoru."

And with that, the two friends hung up. With a sigh, Mamoru stood and walked back to his bedroom, watching Usagi as she slept, on her stomach now, her arm draped over one of his pillows, holding it close to her like a stuffed animal. Her long, silvery blonde hair was spread out around her, framing her body with an almost ethereal glow. A small smile spread over his face and he whispered a soft goodnight to the sleeping girl, and closed the door behind him. Then he turned, walked to the guest bedroom, and prepared himself for bed.

As he lay in bed, he thought over the events of the day, from talking with Rei, Ami, Minako and Makoto to finding Usagi, beat up and alone in the park, to taking her home and comforting her as she cried, and then his talk with Motoki. Indeed, a lot had happened this day, and as he began to slip into the peaceful oblivion that was sleep, he promised himself that no matter what happened, he would protect Usagi. No matter what happened... he would... protect... Usagi...


	3. The Truths of Love: Chapter three

The Truths of Love: Chapter three

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Never have, never will, so please don't sue me.

Four girls sat around a table in the Crown Arcade and Cafe, discussing the disappearance of their other friend, Usagi Tsukino.

"You guys, I'm really worried," Rei Hino muttered to the rest of the girls. "I mean, sure, Usagi misses a meeting every once in awhile, and sure she is a bit absentminded at times, but this is the fifth meeting she has missed, and I haven't even seen her in a week now." Rei's usual nonchalant attitude was gone as she confided her worries and fears to the rest of the group.

Ami Mizuno nodded her head, her azure eyes filled with worry. Though Ami was usually the rational member of the group, right now she was as concerned as everyone else was. She let out a soft, worried sigh as she said, "It's unlike her to miss so many, and what worries me even more is that I haven't even heard from her."

At that point, Motoki Furuhata, manager of the Crown Arcade and Café, came over bearing a tray of food.

"Here you go everyone. A small order of fries and a chocolate milkshake for Rei, and a small cheeseburger, everything on it for Makoto. Ami, a small hot chocolate, and Minako, two hamburgers ketchup only, a large order of fries, and a large diet soda."

The four girls smiled distractedly at Motoki as they took their food from him and resumed their conversation as he began to walk away.

"Where could she be?" Makoto asked worriedly. Being not only the tallest of the group of girls, but also the one most like the mother of the group, her response to Usagi being missing wasn't unusual. And while Usagi was good friends with everyone in the group, to Makoto, Usagi was like a little sister, or even a daughter. "What if she's sick, or running a fever, or has hypothermia, or--"

"Relax, Mako, I'm sure Usagi is fine," Minako said soothingly. "She probably just went on a vacation to get away from the stress she is going through right now, what with her family being killed in the flight and all."

Motoki paused as he listened to the girls talk, and the name Usagi brought up the memory of his conversation with Mamoru last night, and the problem that the _friend_ had been having. Unable to help himself, he walked back over to the table.

"Girls, I got an interesting call from Mamoru last night. He says a friend of his found someone that others thought was missing. When he went to call the friends, the person he found asked him not to call them, because she said she was a burden to them. However, I get the impression that the friend is actually Mamoru himself, and from what I...ah... overheard of your conversation, I believe he may have found Usagi."

Silence greeted Motoki as he finished talking, and then, suddenly, there was an explosion of angry voices.

"He what?!"

"And he didn't tell or even call us?!"

"The nerve of him!" Makoto shouted, her fist clenched.

"I'm sure he had a good reason..."

Motoki patiently waited until the outbursts came to an end before he began speaking once more.

"Why don't you go talk to him, and find out what the situation is? It might just be that it really is a friend that found someone," he said reasonably.

"Motoki is right," Ami, always the voice of reason, said quietly. "We'll just go talk to him and find out what is going on."

That said, the four girls stood up and headed to the exit of the Crown Arcade, leaving Motoki to stare after them, shaking his head slightly and wondering what he had just done.

Mamoru was awakened to the sound of fists pounding on the door to his apartment.

"Mamoru let us in right now!" Came the muffled voice of Makoto from the other side of the door.

"Mamoru, we just want to talk to you," Ami's voice came.

Muttering to himself, he sat up on the guest bedroom and rubbed his eyes wearily, before trudging to the bathroom and grabbing a comb, running it through his disheveled hair before then walking to the door of his apartment and opening it up.

"What do you want?" He asked them quietly.

"You have Usagi, don't you?" Rei asked him bluntly.

Mamoru stared for a moment, reluctant to say or do anything, then with a sigh he pulled the door open and allowed the four girls to come in.

"I found her two days ago, the night that we all went out searching for her in the rain. She was in the park, curled up under a bush, unconscious. I wanted to call you guys to let you all know she was safe, and to see if you wanted to come and take care of her, but she told me not to. She begged me not to call any of you, because, her words were that she was a bother to you. I didn't know what to do, so I called Motoki."

The girls were silent, taking in this new information before Ami nodded once.

"Can we see her, Mamoru?" Minako asked softly.

Mamoru looked at the door to the bedroom, where Usagi had gotten to sleep only an hour before, and regretfully shook his head.

"Not now. I'm sorry, but she only just got to bed. She's been having nightmares lately, and all I gathered is that someone is after her. But whenever she wakes up, she won't talk to me about it, she just wraps her arms around her legs and rocks back and forth, crying softly. I don't know what to do, you guys. If you want to stay here for awhile until she wakes--"

At that moment a blood curdling scream rang through the apartment, and Mamoru jumped to his feet.

"It's happening again," he murmured quietly. "The nightmare she's been having."

Quickly he walked to the bedroom and opened the door, running to Usagi's side and holding her body to him, as had become routine. He held her in his arms as she thrashed, until her eyes flew open and she looked at him, and then, for the first time, she whispered something.

"He's going to find me. Please, Mamoru... don't let him hurt me anymore... don't let Matt hurt me anymore..." Her voice trailed off as sobs consumed her body. Mamoru just held her tighter, his mind swimming.

'Matt did this to her?! But why? Why would he do this? It makes no sense.' He thought.

"Don't worry, Usagi. I'll protect you. He won't find you here, and he will never hurt you again. I promise," Mamoru whispered softly against the top of her head.

Unbeknownst to the two in the bedroom, the four girls in Mamoru's apartment watched the scene quietly, their eyes filled with unhappiness.

As Mamoru laid Usagi back down, the girl now sleeping once more, the girls retreated back to the den, where they sat quietly, Minako and Makoto on the couch, Rei perched on the chair, and Ami on the floor. Mamoru walked quietly into the den as well, running a hand through his hair with a sigh.

"That's how it's been both days," he said quietly, not meeting anyone's gaze. "Almost every time she goes to sleep, nightmares haunt her dreams. The only time she gets a decent rest is when she is too emotionally and physically drained from the nightmares to think of anything as she sleeps. She'll sleep now without dreams." He paused and looked up at the girls, his eyes filled with bitterness. "He did this to her. That bastard hurt her, and she'll never be the same again. And it's my fault. I should have listened to her when she tried to tell me... I should have known she wouldn't lie..." He banged his fist on the end table he was standing next to, venting his frustration and confusion.

The four girls watched Mamoru silently. Finally Ami stood up and walked over to Mamoru, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Mamoru, how could you have known? You and Matt have been good friends, and he's never done this before. It was only reasonable that you defended Matt. Look. It's not your fault. And none of us blame you for anything that has happened." She shot a glare at the other girls, who up until this time had been quiet, averting their gaze from Mamoru.

Minako stood up and walked to Mamoru as well, laying her hand on his other shoulder, before gently pulling him into a hug.

"Ami's right. It's not your fault. You couldn't have known what was going to happen. And thank you for taking care of our Usagi." Minako pulled back and gave Mamoru a soft kiss on the cheek. "We appreciate it."

Mamoru gave a small nod, and then walked to his recliner, where he promptly collapsed upon it and put his head in his hands.

"What am I going to do? I can't leave her. And I can't give her to you. It's not that I don't trust you, but she would freak out... She'd run away, and hurt herself more. I'm sorry, but for the time being, she has to stay here."

Makoto nodded after a moment. "We understand, Mamoru. But... would it be ok if we checked in on her every once in awhile? Not all of us together, but maybe two or three?"

Mamoru hesitated for a moment, and then nodded. "I don't see why not."

The girls nodded and then stood, heading for the door.

"We'll be back later, then, Mamoru. And thank you again."

With that, the girls walked out of the apartment, leaving Mamoru alone with Usagi once more.

Sighing, Mamoru walked to the guest bedroom once more, lying down on the guest bed, and closing his eyes. His thoughts drifted as he slowly sank into the deep state of sleep.

Her eyes opened slowly, and she looked around, taking in her surroundings.

She was in a bedroom, that much was obvious. There was the bed she was laying on, pushed to the far corner of the room, and there was a clothes chest, made of mahogany, directly beside the bed. On the other side of the room, there was a small closet, the doors thrown open, showing shirts and pants neatly hung and put away. The room itself was a dark blue, the wood paneling around the room off white. Beside the closet, there was a door, and as she got up, she went to check where it led to, and wasn't surprised when she found it led to a bathroom.

The bathroom was a beautiful cream in color and at the far end of it was a tub made of porcelain, with two tabs marked for hot or cold. There was a soft, fluffy rug outside of the shower, which was big enough to hold three or four people. Beside the toilet stood an ornate marble sink, the tabs gold plated.

Usagi shook her head in amazement at the ornate details around the room, wondering just how much a place like this must cost. It was definitely a far cry from the apartment she lived in, that was for sure.

Walking out of the bathroom and closing the door behind her, she walked over to the window that was beside the bed, looking down several stories to the ground below. Again, she shook her head as she realized this must have been one of the better rooms, for none of the noise from the city made its way to the room where she stood. Walking quietly to the only other door in the room, she opened it to find the hallway looming before her.

Walking out the door and down the hallway, she passed the guestroom, the door of it wide open. Sticking her head in, she winced when she saw the body underneath the covers, but then realized that it couldn't possibly be Matt, because he didn't live in this nice of a place. She walked into the room, trying to figure out who it was, and when she saw the tuft of ebon colored hair, a small smile appeared on her face.

'Mamo-chan,' she thought, 'thank you so much for helping me.'

Walking out of the room, she continued down the hallway, looking into the den. The walls of the den were a deep, forest green, the furniture in the room consisting of two couches, a recliner and a chair, all of them in soft shades of greens. A small table of mahogany wood sat at the back of the rectangular room, with four chairs around it.

Walking towards the table, she spotted a small cabinet with pictures on it, and she walked over to examine them. The first thing that caught her eye was a picture that was flipped down, and she frowned and moved to pick it up... and muffled a scream when the face of Matt LaClare looked out at her, smirking faintly up at the camera with his arm around Mamoru.

Biting the inside of her cheek, and knowing how foolish she was acting, but unable to help it, she turned the picture upside down again. Continuing to look at the other pictures, her brow furrowed as she realized something: there were no pictures of his parents, or, for that matter, of anyone in his family. There were scattered pictures of him and Motoki, and him and herself and the other girls, as well as a picture of him and a tall, skinny guy with aqua colored eyes and dark brown hair, who must have been the Riku character Mamoru had mentioned once or twice. But there were none of him and his parents. Shrugging, she made a mental note to ask him about that later. In the meantime, she would continue to look around the place where she was staying.

Walking into the kitchen, she looked around in awe, and the only thing she could think of was, 'Makoto would DIE to be able to cook here.' And indeed, it was like a paradise for cooks.

The latest in stove and oven technology was there. The refrigerator reached up to the ceiling, and the cupboards, upon inspection, were filled with every kind of food you could imagine. Usagi's eyebrow rose. 'He eats all of this?' She thought to herself with a wry smile. 'Interesting.' Smiling to herself, she finished the tour of the house, which consisted of another bathroom, two more guestrooms, and a study.

Walking back to the room where she was staying, she laid on the bed, feeling comfortable for the first time in awhile. Closing her eyes, she attempted to get back to sleep.

She was dreaming again.

She was in a field, the long grass blowing gently in the wind. There were brightly colored flowers all over the place, and she laughed gleefully as she bent, picking flowers left and right, making a wreathe of flowers which she set upon her head with a smile. Her friends were behind her, all four of them, each dressed in a different color dress.

Ami was dressed in a light blue, renaissance style dress, with the bodice finished under the breasts, and the rest of the fabric flowing down from there, split in half down the middle, and a darker blue where the light blue wasn't covering. In her short, azure colored hair she had a small lotus blossom.

Rei was in a dress of blood red, a spaghetti strap style gown that hung down just past her knees. Around her waist was a small red sash, which pulled the whole look together. On her feet she had red high heels, completing her outfit. Her long black hair was hanging down past her waist, and in total giving her the look of a dark angel. Her violet eyes were alight with laughter that Usagi had never seen in them before, as they were always so serious.

Makoto was dressed in a strapless forest green dress, accentuating her figure perfectly. Near the bottom of the dress was pink beading in the design of many flowers, flowing down the side and to the bottom of the dress. On her feet were small green slippers, perfect for walking through the meadow. Her auburn hair was pulled up into a ponytail on the top of her head, held in place with a green clip.

Minako was wearing a two piece orange gown, the top a softer shade of orange than the bottom was. The gown was made of the softest silks, and rippled softly with each move that she made. Her long blonde hair was pulled back into a French braid that ran halfway down her back, before it was sopped and the rest of her hair was let loose. On her feet were yellow high heeled shoes, held on with a small strap across the middle of her foot.

Usagi's own dress was a brilliant white in color, sparkling as she moved. Her head was thrown back in laughter, and her silvery blonde hair was pulled up into its usual odangos, the pigtails hanging down her back to the backs of her knees. On her feet were silver high heels. Around her neck hung a silver necklace, a small silver locket hanging in the middle.

Everyone around her was laughing and having a great time, talking and joking. Usagi sat back, watching her friends meandering through the meadow without a care in the world. The sky overhead was a brilliant blue, fluffy white clouds dotting the sky. The weather was pleasantly warm, not hot, and not cold, but just the right temperature.

Then, suddenly, everything changed.

The sky overhead turned red, and the temperature was suddenly blazing hot. The grass under Usagi's feet shriveled up and died from the immense head, and the wreathe of flowers withered and died, falling off of her head and into her hands. Looking around for her friends, she was greeted with a horrific sight: Minako, Ami, Rei and Makoto were dead, their throats slashed and their eyes wide with terror.

Usagi pressed a fist to her mouth, muffling a scream, and turned to run. Overhead, the sky was suddenly filled with the cruel face of Matt LaClare.

"Do you see what you've caused, bunny? Everyone you care about is dead now. You have no one left. No one at all. I will find you, little bunny, and you won't be able to get away again. And I will make you regret leaving me..."

Usagi ran wildly through the meadow, coming to the safety of the forest, and she slumped against the tree, crying, her body wracked with sobs. Hearing a branch crack nearby, she turned to run the other way, and ran directly into Matt LaClare's arms.

"Got you..." He hissed menacingly in her ear.

Usagi screamed.

Usagi sat bolt upright in the bed, her face bathed in sweat, her body tangled in the sheets of the bed. Her eyes were wide and terrified, and she stood up quickly, tripping over her feet and running to the guest bedroom where Mamoru was still sleeping. Running to the side of the bed, tripping over her own feet, tears streaming down her face, she touched his shoulder.

"Mamoru. Mamo-chan! Please, wake up! Please!" At the touch of her hand, Mamoru's body fell over, and she was looking into the dead eyes of the only person she'd had left in the world.

Usagi fell back with a yell, tears pouring out of her eyes.

"No, no, this isn't happening! It's not happening! He's not dead, he can't be!"

"Oh, but he is, little bunny," came the voice Usagi dreaded most. "Mamoru is dead."

"I don't believe you! No, no he's fine! He's not dead! He can't be!"

"He is, Usagi. He's gone. Come back to me Usagi."

"No, no..." she moaned softly.

"Usagi... Usagi..."

"Usagi... Usagi..." a soft voice called her name.

Usagi's eyes opened. The room was bathed in a soft light, and she looked around, and into the worried eyes of Mamoru.

"Mamoru..." she breathed softly. "But... but you were dead! I saw you! And... HE was here, and he told me you were dead, and I saw you and..." Her voice trailed off into sobs.

Mamoru held her close, whispering softly into her hair, softly stroking her back, holding her as she wept in his arms. "It was a nightmare, Usako. Just a nightmare. I'm fine; you're fine, nothing is wrong."

After a few minutes, Usagi's breathing slowed down to normal and her tears slowly came to a stop. She lay back down on the bed, her eyes open, tears still leaking down her face, but no longer with the harsh racking sobs that she'd been having before.

"Mamoru," she whispered through lips swollen from crying. "Please... don't leave me...stay with me..."

He hesitated for only a moment, and then nodded, laying beside her and hugging her body close to his.

At first, her body tensed at his touch, but after a few moments, she slowly relaxed, and leaned further into his arms, closing her eyes, her breathing slowing still more, until it was a deep, even pace.

Mamoru listened to the steady sound of Usagi's breathing, broken only by the occasional sob. Closing his eyes, and with his arms still around her, he slowly drifted off into a deep sleep.


	4. The Truths of Love: Chapter four

The Truths of Love: Chapter four

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Never have, never will, so please don't sue me.

Usagi was woken up the next morning by a soft chirping sound. Opening her eyes, she looked groggily at the window to see a bird sitting on the windowsill. She stretched languorously, and tensed when she felt a hard, warm object behind her, turning slowly, she looked into the ocean blue eyes of Mamoru Chiba, who was watching her with a small smile on his face.

"Morning, sleepy," he whispered softly.

Usagi turned a soft shade of red and quickly scrambled up in bed, pulling out of his arms.

"I...I'm sorry I asked you to sleep in here. I couldn't..." her voice trailed off, and she looked away, visions from the nightmare of last night filling her head, causing her to shiver. She wrapped her arms around her body and stood, walking over to the window, looking down at the already busy streets of Tokyo.

Walking over to the clothes chests, she looked at the clock and found that it was 11:30.

"Ah, Mamoru, aren't you later for work?" Usagi asked quietly. She knew that Mamoru had finally gotten the job of his dreams: He was a doctor at the Tokyo Hospital, and he loved every moment of his job. He wouldn't ever dream of being late for it.

But today, he was late. He should have been at the hospital at 7:30 am, and right now it was 11:30.

Mamoru shook his head. "No, Usagi. I called in, and I'm not working today or tomorrow. No, I have much more important things... or a much more important thing...in my life right now."

Usagi looked up, curious. After all, what could possibly be more important to Mamoru than his job as a doctor?

"Oh?" She asked. "And what would that be, if I might inquire...?"

Mamoru smiled softly. "To make sure you get better. I can't take the risk of leaving you here by yourself. Usagi..." He began softly. "Tell me what happened. What has you acting like this? Please, let me help you."

Usagi looked away, her face suddenly turning somber. "I can't..." she whispered softly. "Please, Mamoru, don't ask me to tell it. Not yet. It's too soon." She turned to him, the look in her eyes pleading for him to understand. "Some day I will tell you what happened. But not yet." With that she looked away again.

Mamoru looked down. He couldn't understand this girl. No, he couldn't understand what had changed her. What could have turned this bright, bubbly, vibrant young girl into this... shadow? With a sigh, he shook his head and stood up.

"Alright, Usagi. I respect your wishes. But promise me... when you are ready to talk, please come to me. I'll be here for you, no matter what. And know this." His voice grew hard, the look in his eyes one to chill the blood of anyone they were directed at. "Whoever did this to you will pay dearly. And whoever it was will not get to you again. I promise you that."

Usagi looked up. The intensity in Mamoru's voice frightened her. She looked away with a murmured thank you.

"I'll go make breakfast. Is there anything in particular you want?" Mamoru asked her, the edge in his voice gone.

Usagi shook her head slightly. "Whatever you make will be fine... so long as it's not too fattening..." She looked down at her slim waist with a frown, and muttered softly, "He says I'm fat..."

Mamoru's eyebrows raised in shock. "You...? Fat...? What kind of moron would say that? And more importantly, how could you believe it?"

Usagi looked up at Mamoru, her eyes bright with emotional pain, and she turned away, once more wrapping her arms around herself. "It doesn't matter. He was right, I AM getting fat. I think I'll just skip breakfast, Mamoru. But thank you anyways."

"Oh no you won't, Usagi. You are eating breakfast if it means I have to shove the food down your throat." He smiled to take the sting out of his words.

"But I'm not hung--" At that moment Usagi's stomach rumbled, proving the lie in her words. "Alright," she conceded. "But only a little bit."

Mamoru smiled and nodded, and went to his kitchen, preparing the breakfast. Half an hour later, the smells of all different kinds of food came wafting down the hall and into the bedroom where Usagi was. Her eyes closed, and she lifted her nose to the air, sniffing, taking in each delicious scent. Opening her eyes, she walked out of the bedroom, down the hall and into the kitchen.

Once there, her eyes widened in shock. For on the table was a feast fit for kings and queens. Pancakes of all varieties, ranging from buttermilk to blueberry, with everything else in between, cooked to perfection, both sides a golden brown. Fresh fruits were piled high on a plate, from the normal everyday apples, bananas and strawberries to the exotic kiwi and star fruit. All kinds of cereals were placed out on the table, and milk ranging from skim to 2 percent was set out as well. Juices of all kinds were spread out for her selection, orange juice, apple juice, grape juice, pineapple juice, and papaya juice, each in separate containers. On the opposite end of the table were waffles, again ranging from the normal Belgium and buttermilk to blueberry and strawberry. There was porridge, steam rolling off of it softly, and blueberry muffins on a tray, freshly baked. Crispy bacon and freshly cooked eggs were on a separate plate, and hash browns and sausages on still another. And to top it all off, in the very center of the table were English muffins and croissants, buttered and ready to eat.

"Dig in," Mamoru said as they both sat down at the table.

Usagi's mouth watered and it was all she could do not to take some of everything. Instead, she took only a few pieces of fruit and set them on her plate, and set about eating them slowly. After a few bites, a knock came at the door of the apartment, and Usagi froze, dropping the piece of fruit that was in her hand.

"He's found me!" She cried softly, and standing up, she ran down the hall and into the bedroom, closing and locking the door before Mamoru could so much as say a word.

Mamoru watched her departure sadly, knowing he couldn't have prevented her from running even if he had tried. With a sigh, Mamoru stood, walking to the door and pulling it open. Outside stood Ami and Minako.

"Where is she?" Minako asked as she walked right into the room, going underneath Mamoru's arm in order to get in. "Can we talk to her now?"

Mamoru sighed and scrubbed a hand through his hair. "She's in the bedroom. We were eating breakfast, and as soon as the knock came, she bolted. I don't know if you'll be able to talk to her or not, but she is awake, so you might as well try."

Ami laid a hand on Mamoru's shoulder for a minute and smiled, her eyes sad. "Thank you for all you have done. If you want to go to the hospital to work for a few hours, we'll stay with Usagi."

Mamoru hesitated, torn between going to the work he loved, and staying with the girl who he felt oddly protective of. Making up his mind, he shook his head.

"No," he said. "I'll stay with her. I already told the hospital I won't be there today or tomorrow, so I'm going to stay with her."

Ami nodded her head and took her hand off of his shoulder, and with Minako walked to the bedroom door.

Knocking softly on the door, Ami said, "Usagi, its Ami and Minako. Can we talk to you?"

Usagi was lying face down on the bed, her whole body tense, when the knock on the bedroom door came. Pulling a pillow to her face, she muffled a scream, knowing that he finally found her, and that he would take her back.

"Usagi, its Ami and Minako. Can we talk to you?" Came a soft voice from the other side of the door. Usagi sat up, her eyes wide.

"G-girls?" She uttered softly under her breath, and quickly she walked to the door, unlocking it and opening it just slightly, just enough to see the worried faces of two of her best friends.

She quickly shut the door again, walking back to her bed and laying on her side, muttering curses under her breath.

"He lied to me... Mamoru lied to me... he promised he wouldn't call the girls and tell them I'm here, but he did... he lied to me..." Tears came to her eyes as she muttered to herself over and over, not even noticing as the door opened and Minako and Ami walked into the room. However, the next thing she knew, Ami was holding her hand and whispering quietly into her ear as Usagi rocked back and forth, sobs racking her body.

"No, my dear. Mamoru kept his promise to you. He didn't tell us you were here, Motoki did. Mamoru called Motoki to ask what he should do for a friend, and Motoki figured out that the friend was Mamoru himself. He told us, and we came to see you," Ami explained softly, stroking Usagi's hair softly, holding Usagi's shaking form to herself.

Minako stood awkwardly by the door, not saying a word, just watching as Ami soothed their distraught friend. After a few minutes of standing by the door, Minako walked over to the bed and sat on the other side of Usagi, gently running her fingers through the girl's dirty, tangled hair.

"Usagi, what happened?" Minako asked quietly after the girl had calmed down. "Where have you been for the past two months, and where did you get all of these bruises?"

Usagi looked away from her two friends, trying to pull her emotions back together before she began the story that she couldn't tell Mamoru yet.

"I was... with Matt," she began quietly. "He was perfect. Everything I could want. He helped me get through the death of my family... he helped me with difficult cases at work. That's how I met him, you know. At work. He came to get an application to work for us, and I interviewed him there and then. He was perfect for the job, and his background was clean. We started dating that night. He took me out for a celebratory dinner on him getting the job. Everything was perfect for about a month. He was wonderful to me." Usagi smiled wistfully, pausing to gather her thoughts together. "And then... he changed." She went on to tell them how he started calling her fat, how he told her that the girls she called her friends only tolerated her because they pitied the fact that she had no one else in the world. At that point Minako stood up, her hands clenched into fists, and hissed under her breath.

"He is so going to pay," she began, but was stopped from saying anything more by Usagi.

"Please," she said quietly. "Let me finish... I don't think I'll be able to finish it if I'm cut off now..."

Minako nodded and sat down reluctantly as Usagi continued.

"And then one day, something happened. He hit me one day. We were sitting at his house, having dinner, and when he asked me how the food was, and I said it was good, he hit me. He hit me because I didn't say it was great. I was shocked that he would do such a thing, and after a moment he apologized and told me he would never do it again. And for the rest of the night, we had fun, and true to his word, he didn't raise a hand against me. But the next night, he hit me again, and bruised me on my arms. At that point I went to Mamoru and asked him if Matt had ever been known to beat his girlfriends before, because he was hitting me. Mamoru... he didn't believe me. He told me I was probably exaggerating. I couldn't show him the bruises after he said that, and so I left. That night..."

She took a deep breath. "That night, Matt came to me after we went out for dinner. He began to... to hit me, and kick me. He called me names, telling me I was a worthless... a worthless bitch." Her breath caught as she remembered that night in perfect detail. "He knocked me to the floor and then..." She went on to tell the two girls how he'd dragged her to his bedroom and raped her. Through the entire thing, the girls sat in shocked silence, unable to believe what they were hearing, and yet knowing it was the truth.

After a few minutes of silence, broken only by the occasional sniffle, Usagi continued.

"I ran away then. After he had... finished... I ran away. I grabbed my clothes and ran before he could get up. I kept running and running, and came to the Tokyo park. That's where Mamoru found me, and I've been with him ever since."

Her voice trailed off. "I couldn't call you. I couldn't tell you what had happened, or where I was, because I didn't want to be a bigger burden on you than I already am. I'm sorry you found out the way you did; I didn't want you to find out at all. And now you know what happened, and where I've been. I'm sorry I didn't contact you before, but I just... I couldn't." Finally her story was over, and she lay down on the bed and sobbed softly into the pillows.

Minako and Ami caught each other's eyes over the girl's head, and sighed softly, each laying a hand on Usagi's shoulder.

"Usagi," Minako began, "You've never been a burden on us. Never. Rei, Ami, Makoto and I love you. You're an incredible person, and we wouldn't even all be together if it weren't for you. You brought us out of our shells, and brought us all together. How could you forget that?"

Ami nodded slightly. "That's right, Usagi. You brought our group together. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't even know each other. Usagi, whatever your faults are, your strengths more than make up for them. Never let anyone tell you we don't love you, or need you. Because that is just plain rubbish."

Usagi looked up, tears still running down her cheeks, and managed to get out, "R-really? You guys... really think that way?"

Her voice was so soft, so timid, that Ami and Minako couldn't help but smiling.

"Of course, Usagi-chan. Do you have any idea how worried we've been about you? And Rei nearly threw a fit when we couldn't find you anywhere," Minako said with a laugh.

Usagi groaned good naturedly. "Rei-chan... I missed her. Her and her teasing." She rolled her eyes as the other girls laughed.

Minako wrapped her arms around Usagi, holding her close, and then pulled Ami into the hug as well. "Oh you guys, group hug."

Usagi laughed softly and hiccupped, a few stray tears running down her cheeks before finally stopping.

"So, Usagi? Are you going to come with us now?"

A momentary panic overcame Usagi, and she shook her head frantically. "I can't. He'll find me with one of you guys and..." Her voice trailed off as she remembered the dream she had, where every one of her friends had been killed by Matt. "No... I can't come with you..." Her eyes filled with tears of anguish and she looked away.

Ami placed a hand softly on her shoulder, squeezing gently to say she understood.

Usagi looked up at the blue haired girl gratefully and leaned back down on the bed, closing her eyes, her body drained emotionally from having told the story.

"Hey you guys? Please... don't tell Mamoru what happened... I'll tell him in good time, I promise. Just... not yet."

Ami and Minako hesitated, but respecting her wishes, they nodded, and turned to go, both realizing just how much effort and courage it took for Usagi to tell them what had happened.

Usagi's voice spoke up again, quietly. "And you guys?"

"Yes, Usagi?" Ami said softly.

There was a soft yawn, and then a pause, and they turned to go once more, when her voice came up, slurred and almost unintelligible.

"Thank you... for everything..." With that said, Usagi drifted off to sleep, and Ami and Minako left the room, quietly shutting the door behind them.

Mamoru sat in his den as the girls talked with Usagi. Every so often he'd check his watch, and he sighed when he realized that just about two hours had passed. He was about to go and make a cup of coffee to help calm his nerves when the door to the bedroom opened and Minako and Ami filed out quietly.

"Well?" Mamoru asked anxiously. "Is she okay? What happened? Please, tell me anything you can!"

Minako and Ami exchanged significant looks, and then Minako faced Mamoru once more.

"Mamoru, I'm sorry. Despite all you have done to help and care for Usagi, it's her story to tell, not ours. However, she promised that one day, she will tell you what happened to her. But not now. I'm sorry I can't tell you more than that, but I can't. She's sleeping now, and she will for a few hours, I think. Thank you for letting us talk to her. Makoto and Rei wish to come tomorrow, if that's alright with you...?"

Mamoru nodded his head distractedly, and bid the girls a good day. Once they were gone, he went to the bedroom, and for a time just stood right inside the bedroom looking at the form of the girl sleeping on his bed.

'She looks just like an angel,' he found himself thinking, and then shook his head. 'No, it's Usagi. You're her friend, remember?' He told himself.

'Ah, but is that all you want to be?' A voice in his mind asked him.

'Well, no,' he conceded, 'but it's all she wants from me.'

'Or is it?' that same voice asked him.

Mamoru frowned and quickly hushed the voice before it could confuse him further. Walking over to the edge of the bed, he sat beside the blonde haired girl, and took one of her hands in his own.

'She's so small... so frail,' he thought to himself. 'I want to protect her, to keep her from any and all harm that might possibly even think to touch her.'

With her hand in his, he lightly rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand, smiling idly and watching her sleep. Lying down beside her, he closed his eyes and slowly fell asleep, her hand still held tightly in his.

Later that night, Usagi roused herself to find Mamoru sleeping beside her. A small smile spread over her face, and she reached out to push a piece of his ebon colored hair out of his face, and then she sat and watched him sleep for awhile. He looked just like a child as he slept, so cute and innocent... Leaning down, she brushed a soft kiss on his forehead and then pulled her hand from his, standing up and heading out to the kitchen to make a light dinner.

As she made a small turkey sandwich, she thought over the years she had known Mamoru, and of the times they'd spent together, of the laughs and cries they'd had together. She'd always thought of him as an older brother, as a companion that she would be able to share anything with. He was her protector, and she loved him for it. But she wouldn't dwell on the thought of loving him.

After eating the turkey sandwich and having a small glass of water, she washed her dishes and put them away before heading back to the bedroom. Once there, she climbed into the bed, careful not to wake Mamoru, closed her eyes, softly snuggled up to him, and went back to sleep.


	5. The Truths of Love: Chapter five

The Truths of Love: Chapter five

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Never have, never will, so please don't sue me.

Mamoru woke up the next morning to the feel of a body snuggled up against his. Yawning, he opened his eyes and looked down to see Usagi, her head against his chest, and her body tucked under his arms, sleeping peacefully. Smiling softly to himself, he slowly disentangled himself from her and got up out of bed.

As he was heading out to the kitchen to prepare a small breakfast, the phone rang. Yawning and wondering who in their right mind would call so early in the morning, he dragged himself over to the phone and picked it up.

"Talk to me," he said groggily into the phone.

"Mamoru?" came a voice that Mamoru had been hoping never to hear again.

"Matt?"

"What's wrong, buddy? You don't sound thrilled to hear from me," Matt's cheerful voice responded.

Gritting his teeth, Mamoru replied, "Of course I'm happy to hear from you at...8:36 in the morning."

"Oh, is that what's wrong?" Matt laughed it off. "Well, you should have been up and gone for work anyways, now that I think about it. What are you doing home?"

Mamoru sucked in a breath as he tried to come up with an answer that wouldn't be too suspicious. "Well, I uh--"

"It doesn't matter," Matt's voice cut in. "Look, the reason I'm calling is that I haven't seen Usagi around for awhile. You know she and I are dating, right?"

Mamoru's hand clenched into a fist and he managed to bite out, "Yeah, I heard it from somewhere."

"Well, anyways, I was just wondering if you'd seen her. She hasn't been around, and the house is a bit...lonely...if you know what I mean." Matt broke into laughter, extremely amused with the pun he'd made. "I just want my girl back, so if you know where she is, send her on over, alright?"

Mamoru was seeing red. All he could hear were the words "my girl."

"Look, Matt. I highly doubt she wants to be referred to as 'your girl,' and even if I saw her, I don't think I'd send her back to you. However, I haven't seen her, and I have to go now. Goodbye."

And with that, he slammed the phone back down on the receiver.

Sighing, he plopped down on the recliner and put his head in his hands, wondering what he'd just done. He wondered if that would be the last of Matt they heard for awhile, or if he should unplug the phone in case Matt called again, and Mamoru wasn't there to take it, and Usagi ended up picking up and relapsing into the quiet state she was in before.

With another sigh he stood to go to the kitchen once more when the bedroom door opened and Usagi's tousled head stuck out.

"Who was on the phone?" She asked quietly.

Thinking fast, Mamoru responded "Just a sales person. Stupid people never know when they should call and when they shouldn't." He gave a nervous laugh and hurried into the kitchen before she could ask anything more.

Usagi watched his retreating back, knowing perfectly well that it hadn't been a "sales person" as Mamoru claimed; the falseness of his laughter proved that. And the only other possibility that it could have been was...

"Matt," she whispered to herself, and shuddered.

However, she refused to let herself be brought down by him anymore. It had been just about a week since it had happened; Usagi needed to move on and get a hold of her life. She had to get back to her company; Naru must be panicking by now.

With a sigh, she walked back into the bedroom, and then into the bathroom where she took a quick shower and washed her hair. Looking around, she grabbed a pair of Mamoru's long black pants, and, grabbing the dress she'd worn for the past few days, tore off a length of the fabric, wrapping it around her waist in a makeshift belt. Next she grabbed one of his shirts and pulled it on, buttoning every button but the top, giving her a sexy yet casual look, despite how the clothes hung over her body.

Grabbing a brush off of the counter, she quickly pulled it through her long, silvery blonde hair, wrestling with the tangles she hadn't combed out for days. After ten minutes of yanking the brush through her hair, she went out into the bedroom, down the hall and into the kitchen.

Mamoru glanced up at her and then down again, and then back up, his eyes wide as he took in what she was wearing.

"Are those my...?"

Usagi blushed a bit and then nodded. "I'm sorry, but I don't have any clothes here. I'll go back to my place and pick some up, and then bring these back. Ah..." Here she paused for a minute, and then looked up at Mamoru. "Mamoru... can I stay with you for awhile longer? I don't want to be home alone..."

"Alone? Where's your family? Aren't they there?"

Usagi's eyes blanked and she turned away.

Mamoru blinked at Usagi's reaction, wondering just what was going on. He quickly amended, "Of course, Usagi-chan. You can stay as long as you like."

Usagi threw him a grateful smile and headed towards the door of the apartment.

"Hey, Usagi, let me just grab my jacket and I'll go with you, alright?" Mamoru said.

Usagi hesitated, knowing the state her house was in, what with her parents and Shingo's things packed up in boxes in their rooms, but then her thoughts drifted to Matt. What if he was at her house right at that moment, waiting for her? With no one there with her, she'd be taken again for sure.

A shiver ran up her spine and she nodded her head.

"That'd be great, Mamoru," she said softly.

Mamoru smiled in return, ran to the closet in the hallway and grabbed his green leather jacket, slinging it over his shoulder as the two of them walked out of his apartment and down the stairs to the parking lot, where they stopped in front of a big black car. Usagi, not much into cars, was impressed nonetheless.

"This is yours?" she asked in awe as she looked at the car.

Mamoru nodded proudly. "My pride and joy!" He answered.

Laughing, Usagi went to get into the car, not at all surprised to find the inside interior was made of the softest leather. Leather interior, great sound system, with two doors and a small back seat. Everything in the car was automatic, and even the seats were heated. The stereo held up to six CDs, and the sound system of the car was incredible, as proved when Mamoru started the car and the music blasted.

The ride to Usagi's went smoothly. The whole way there, Usagi and Mamoru talked about anything and everything they could think of, avoiding the only topic that both knew would be spoken of eventually: Matt LaClare.

All too soon they were pulling up in front of Usagi's house, a two story building made of bricks. Getting out of the car, Usagi took a deep breath and walked to the front door, bending down to the welcome mat and picking up the extra house key. Opening the front door, she walked through and took a deep breath.

'I'm back,' she thought to herself, a sad smile crossing her face. 'Even for only a few minutes, I'm back.'

Turning back out the door, she called out to Mamoru, "Come on in. I apologize for the state it's in. Since my family... well... since it happened, I haven't had much time to clean, and so... yeah." Her voice trailed off and she stepped quickly back into the entrance hall.

The floor of the hall was made of wood, and to the left and right there were open doorways, leading to the family room and the living room. Directly in front of the door was a staircase, leading to the second floor of the house.

Taking the stairs two at a time, Usagi quickly came to the top of the stairs. At the top of the stairs was another hallway, and at the very top of the stairs was a bathroom. To the left and right were two bedrooms, and down the hall and to the left and right were another two bedrooms. At the top of the stairs, Usagi took an immediate right and walked into her bedroom, sighing at the familiarity of it all.

The walls of her bedroom were a soft blue in color, with silver and gold stars and moons painted on the walls. On the far side of the room against the wall was her desk, cluttered with stuff. Inside the door and to the right was a chest of clothes, and on top of it were her picture frames. Along the wall by the clothes chest was her closet, which was partially open, and inside were shelves of stuff, as well as clothes. Her bed was close to her desk and covered with a pink blanket covered with small ducks, and an end table was beside it, holding her stereo and a small digital clock, that read 12:45.

Walking to the closet, Usagi grabbed out an armload of clothes, and walking to the clothes chest, grabbed a bunch of under clothes as well. Walking over to her bed, she dropped the clothes on it, and wrapped them up in the blanket. Picking the blanket up, she walked back out of her room, and was about to walk down the stairs when her eyes was caught by the room across from hers: her parent's room. Dropping the blanket with the clothes at the top of the stairs, she walked slowly into the room.

Her parent's room was very plain; the walls were plain white with only a picture or two hanging. Boxes of their things were strewn around the room, and Usagi's eyes filled with tears as she recalled what the room had looked like when they were still alive. The lacy curtains were dusty now, though, and the bed had been stripped bare of the bedspread and the covers. The closet that had held all of their clothing was empty now, as were the dressers and chests.

Unable to take it anymore, she whirled around and straight into the arms of Mamoru.

"Usagi-chan," Mamoru whispered, his eyes taking in the bare room of Ikuko and Kenji Tsukino. "Usagi, what happened? Why is all of their stuff packed up?"

Usagi clutched at his shirt, trying to drown out his questions, not wanting to talk about it. But she'd known that if he came over, he'd find out, and she knew it was only fair that she gave him an explanation, after everything he had done for her.

"They're... they're dead, Mamoru. My entire family... is dead."

Mamoru's eyes widened in shock.

"They were on a vacation. I couldn't go, because I had college finals to study for, and the business to run." She looked up at him, her eyes begging him to understand. "I couldn't go. I couldn't! I wanted to, but...but..." Her voice cut off as she began to sob once more, unable to hold her anguish at their death back any longer. "They're all gone now," she whispered softly. "My mother... my father... Shingo... all of them, they're gone. I'm the only one that's left." She paused and looked up at him with her tear streaked face. "Do you understand now? Why I can't stay here? There are too many memories. Too many things here that remind me of them."

Mamoru held Usagi closer, running his hands slowly up and down her back, leaning his chin on her head, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head.

"It's alright," he said softly. "You can stay with me for as long as you need. Come on, now. Let's get out of here." With that said, the two of them turned and walked out of the room and to the top of the stairs, Mamoru bending down to scoop up the blanket full of clothing, and then they headed down the stairs and out of the house, Usagi turning around to lock the door once more, and then putting the key back under the welcome mat.

The ride back to Mamoru's apartment was quiet, each of the occupants of the car deep within their own thoughts.

Once they reached the apartment, Usagi reached into the back of the car to grab her clothing.

"Usagi," Mamoru began softly.

Usagi turned to look at him, her eyes questioning. "Yes, Mamoru?"

"I..." he paused, unable to go on. "I'm sorry about what happened with your parents. If I could turn time back, I would make sure that they got onto a different plane, or that, more importantly, the plane wouldn't have crashed in the first place. But I can't, and I'm sorry."

"Mamoru," she whispered softly. "Thank you. For everything." Her emotions blurred, and she leaned against him for a minute, before standing back up and taking old of her clothes once more. "Come on," she said. "Let's get these upstairs."

A few hours later, a knock came at the door, and both Usagi and Mamoru tensed. Mamoru stood up and walked to the door, as Usagi stood and bolted for the bedroom, once more shutting and locking the door.

Mamoru slowly opened the door, prepared for the worst, and in barged Rei and Makoto, both of whom needed and waited for no greeting or admittance.

"Usagi!" Rei called out. "We know you're here, Ami and Minako were here yesterday."

Usagi blinked at the sound of the familiar voice, loud, slightly demanding, and definitely not male.

Walking to the door, she opened it and stuck her head out once more, looking down the hallway and towards the entrance.

"Rei? Makoto? Is that you?"

"Usagi!" came the reply as Rei threw herself at the blonde girl.

"So this is where you've been, eh, Usa?" Came the deeper voice of Makoto as she followed Rei into the bedroom. Once they were both inside, Usagi shut the door once more, politely but firmly shutting Mamoru out of the conversation once more.

"So, Usagi-chan, what's been going on?" Rei asked quietly. "Minako told us you'd tell us what was going on, and they absolutely refused to tell us anything before you did. Fill us in, ne?"

"Indeed, Usagi. If there are asses to kick, I'm here to do it," Makoto growled.

With a soft laugh at Makoto, Usagi took a deep breath, and relayed the story for the second time, this time to the other two of her best friends. By the time she was finished, Makoto was up and pacing the room, hitting her lift hand with the fist of her right hand, muttering about bashing heads and kicking asses, and Rei was shaking her head, comforting Usagi who had broken down into tears as she once more relayed the horror of those few weeks. Once she had calmed down, she sat up, and made them promise not to tell Mamoru anything that had been said in the room, telling them as she'd told Ami and Minako that eventually, she would tell Mamoru everything.

Once she had their promises, she nodded, and leaned back on the bed, allowing the two girls to leave the room, after they both promised to come back and see her soon. When they were gone, Usagi leaned over and opened the blanket containing her clothes, as well as one other thing: a portrait of her, Shingo, and her parents, as they had been two weeks before the accident.

A bit embarrassed to be taking over Mamoru's room, she wrapped her clothes up and opened the door to the bedroom and walked out, dragging the blanket with her clothes out with her.

"Mamoru," she said. "I've been thinking. I feel awful about you having to stay in the guest room, when this is your apartment, so I've decided to take the guest bedroom, and let you have your own bedroom back." Usagi smiled uncertainly at him, unsure if she'd hurt his feelings.

"Usagi," Mamoru said with a light smile, "I don't mind the guest bedroom at all. And, as you are my guest for however long it may be, I want you to be as comfortable as possible. Therefore, please keep the master bedroom. As it is," he continued, his smile turning into more of a smirk, "I've been sleeping in my bed for almost as many nights have you have. And I must admit it is much more comfortable than the guest bedroom. So, if you don't have any complaints, I believe we would both be able to fit comfortably in the master bedroom." He paused, and allowed his words to sink in, before continuing, rather nervously, "So...? What do you say?"

Usagi stared at him wide eyed, her jaw hanging slightly, not believing what she was hearing. Her cheeks had flushed pink as she realized the truth of what he'd said though, and after a few moments of contemplation, she gave a brief nod.

"Alright," she said quietly. "I suppose that will work... I mean, if you're comfortable with it."

Mamoru nodded once, trying not to show just how eager he was. He knew something had happened between her and Matt, something that had left a permanent impression and a permanent scar on her. And yet, he couldn't help but being happy to be able to be with her. He had finally realized that he loved her, and despite the experience with Matt, whatever it was, he wanted to show her that not everyone was like him.

Usagi smiled softly and went about dragging her clothes back into the bedroom, putting them in a corner of the room, so that they would be out of the way of when people would be walking. Mamoru walked into the room in time to see this, and he smiled lightly.

"Usagi," he said, "why don't you hang your clothes up in the closet? At least that way they won't be so wrinkled. And you can put whatever else you have in the clothes chest there. Only half of them are being used; the bottom half is open. You can put whatever you need to in there."

Usagi hesitated, torn between hanging her clothes up and letting Mamoru have the closet for his own clothes.

Seeing the indecision in her eyes, Mamoru smiled.

"Don't worry," he said. "My clothes are just spaced out. Pushed together, they'll only take up about half the closet, probably a little less then that. I'll help you put your things away."

Usagi shook her head with a smile and took the clothes that needed to be hung up and placed them on the bed, and then set about putting her underclothes into the clothes chest he had mentioned she could use. About half way through putting the clothes away, Usagi looked up at Mamoru, watching him as he put everything away neatly for her.

"Mamoru," she said softly, pausing and closing the drawer of the chest.

"Yes, Usagi?" Mamoru paused in hanging up the clothes, sensing that this was the moment he'd been waiting for, that this was the time she'd tell him what had happened.

"I..." she began, but then lost her nerve, and instead blurted out, "I want to thank you again. For everything you've done for me. I know you have no idea what's going on, and for that I apologize. All I can do is promise you that eventually, you will know what is going on. And, if truth be told, you'll probably know sooner rather than later. However, right now, I just can't tell you. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings by not telling you, but please understand it's not that I don't trust you. I just... can't tell you right now."

Usagi looked down, and resumed putting the clothes into the chest once more, waiting with a held breath to see if he was going to kick her out now.

After a few minutes there was a sigh.

"Usagi, I don't want to force you to tell me. I understand that whatever it is, it's going to take time for you to be able to tell me about it. And I understand your hesitancy to talk to me about it. Whenever you do feel comfortable to talk to me about it... I'm here. And I always will be here for you. I want you to know that, alright?"

Usagi looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears, and she stood, walking over to him, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him for a moment, to lost in her thoughts to be able to do anything else.

Mamoru blinked in surprise at her actions, but slowly wrapped his arms around her in return, holding her close, stroking her hair softly and murmuring soothing words into her ear.

After a few moments, Usagi looked up with a wry smile and brushed away a few stray tears.

"I'm sorry I'm acting like this, Mamoru. I don't know what's gotten into me; I shouldn't be this weak. But... again, I want to thank you for all you have done for me. Without you... well..." She smiled faintly and looked away from his blue eyes. "Without you I'd be a wreck. I'd probably be dead by now if it weren't for you. So thank you."

Mamoru smiled softly, and slowly lifted her chin so she was looking into his eyes.

"You're welcome," he said softly, and then lowered his head, placing the softest of kisses on her lips.

Usagi's eyes widened at the touch of Mamoru's lips on hers, but unlike the kisses she'd had with Matt, this one was gentle, not at all demanding. After a moment, she slowly felt herself responding, and for the next minute they stood in each other's embrace, basking in the touch of lips on lips.

Suddenly, Usagi realized what she was doing and pulled back, a faint blush in her cheeks.

"Mamoru, we shouldn't have done that," she whispered, pulling out of his arms and hurrying to finish putting her clothes away.

Mamoru smiled slightly and turned to finish hanging up the clothes.


	6. The Truths of Love: Chapter six

The Truths of Love: Chapter six

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Never have, never will, so please don't sue me.

There had been something in that kiss. Usagi couldn't have explained what it was, but she knew it had been something. It was something she had never felt before when she had been with Matt.

She shook her head to clear these thoughts away; they were the last things she needed to be thinking about.

It had been two days since the kiss had occurred, and in neither of those days had the two let it happen again. In fact, they each pretended that it never had happened. This was for the better, as if they had dwelled on it, they wouldn't have been able to enjoy spending time with each other.

And yet, still Usagi found her mind drifting back to the kiss every so often. Because, indeed, there had been something there that she had never felt before.

With a sigh, she plopped down onto the bed once more, squirming around and trying to get more comfortable before Mamoru came into the room. Finally settling down, she laid her head on her pillow and looked up at the ceiling, her thoughts drifting off to her parents and brother.

Sighing, she pushed those thoughts from her mind as well and closed her eyes, yawning once before drifting off to sleep.

Mamoru walked into the bedroom, worn out from having work all day. Smiling softly at the sleeping form of Usagi, he carefully grabbed his pajama's, consisting of silk tops and bottoms of midnight blue, and locked himself in the bathroom to change.

As he did so, he thought back to the kiss. A smile grew softly on his face as he remembered the warmth of her skin, the soft touch of her lips on his, the feel of her body pressed close to his, the way her arms had wrapped around him, holding him close, as if she'd never let go...

'Get a grip, Mamoru!' his mind screamed. 'It was a once in a lifetime thing, and thinking about it is only going to make things worse for you. If you really want something done about it, talk to the girl. Find out what she thought of it.'

Mamoru rolled his eyes, despite knowing the fact that the voice in his head was right: thinking about the kiss wouldn't change anything. Shaking his head, and running his fingers through his messy dark hair, he opened the door of the bathroom and headed towards the bed, lying down on his back and looking up, not quite seeing the ceiling. His mind drifted as the weariness of the day took hold of him, and he sank into the abyss of sleep.

Usagi was awakened the next morning by the sound of the closet being opened. Slowly dragging her eyes opened, she looked up to see Mamoru looking sheepishly at her as he pulled some of his clothes from the closet and shut it again.

"I'm sorry, Usagi-chan," he whispered. "I didn't mean to wake you up. Go back to bed now. I'm going to work again today, and Ami and Rei should be over to see you at about noon."

Usagi nodded groggily and mumbled something, then turned over onto her stomach, pulled the blankets up around her, and fell back to sleep.

Mamoru chuckled softly to himself and shook his head, walking over and placing a soft kiss on her forehead before walking to the bathroom to shower and get ready for work.

As he was showering, the thought came to him that he still didn't know what had happened to put Usagi in the state he had found her in. With a frown, her attempted to push that thought to the back of his mind, knowing and trusting the fact that eventually she would tell him what had happened. She had promised she would, and he knew she kept her word. And yet, it had been two weeks now since he had first found her, and she still hadn't said a word to him about what had happened.

Each day, two of the girls came to talk and be with Usagi for a few hours, which Mamoru was grateful for, because he didn't want to leave her alone, and yet there was no way he could keep missing work. Lately, on his way home from work, he'd stop by KDS Inc. to pick up the work for Usagi, which she would promptly do and have sitting on the end table by the door the next morning, and he'd bring stop at KDS to drop it off on his way to work.

He remembered the first time he'd stopped in, and seen with his own eyes what Usagi had managed to accomplish.

The moment he'd walked into the seven story building, his eyes had widened. The floor was made of marble, and not a single piece was unpolished. Sofas and chairs of a deep burgundy color were spread strategically around the lobby of the building, the cushions made of the softest and most expensive velvet anyone could find. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, sparkling and casting soft glows around the entire room. An elevator was positioned at the back of the lobby, leading up to, what he knew, would be the second, third, fourth and fifth floors, belonging to the employees, the sixth floor, belonging to the Assistant manager and the corporate manager, and finally, the seventh floor, belonging to Usagi herself.

Walking to the elevator, he wasn't at all surprised to find that it too was highly comfortable. The inside walls were cushioned, and benches jutted out from the walls. These too were cushioned, and Mamoru let out a low whistle of appreciation as he sat down on one of them.

When the elevator reached the seventh floor, the doors slid open smoothly, revealing another marble floor, leading down a hallway where several doors stood to either side. In the middle of the room was a round mahogany desk, and a petite woman sat there, her short auburn hair pulled off of her angular face, as she spoke quickly into a small headset, listened, and typed something quickly into the computer she sat in front of.

At the sound of the elevator opening, the woman looked up expectantly.

"May I help you?" The woman asked, her eyes roaming up and down Mamoru's body appraisingly.

Mamoru smiled slightly at the woman as he approached the desk.

"Maybe you can," he answered. "I'm Mamoru Chiba, a friend of Usagi Tsukino. Something happened to her about two weeks ago, and she won't be able to make it into the office anytime soon. She asked me to stop by and pick up her work from a woman named...Naru, I believe it was."

The woman's eyes had widened at what Mamoru had said about Usagi.

"Is she alright?" The woman asked in concern.

Mamoru hesitated and then nodded slightly. "She'll be fine. At any rate, I need to find this Naru woman so I can get her work and be on my way. I have to be at the hospital to work soon..." He checked his watch and noticed it was 8:15. That gave him fifteen minutes to be at the hospital.

"Oh, of course." The woman said. "I'm Naru, Usagi's secretary. She has a whole bunch of work to catch up on, but tell her to take it easy, and take her time." She added under her breath, "Though knowing Usagi, she'll work straight through the night to get it all finished and turned back in."

With a sigh she walked over to a mountain of papers that were sitting behind the desk and picked them up, bringing them back and handing them to Mamoru.

"There you go. And pleases tell her to take as long as she needs. I know everyone here is worried about her; it's not like Usagi to miss this many days of work."

Mamoru's eyes widened at the sight of the enormous amount of papers that Usagi would have to do.

Catching the look, Naru smiled.

"Don't worry, most of it she just has to read and sign, or read and reject. Though some of it is more work than that, I'm sure she knows what to do. Don't worry about her. Just make sure that she remembers to eat and sleep at some point in time."

Mamoru nodded once and turned to go.

"Mamoru," Naru called.

"Yes, Naru?" Mamoru asked as he turned to face the woman once more.

"Usagi will be very grateful for you doing this. She's called in several times to ask how everything is going, and I told her it was just fine. But the fact of the matter is a lot of things can't get done with her work. So thank you for keeping her safe."

Mamoru smiled and nodded.

"It's my pleasure," he said, and with that, he left.

That night, he'd given the work to Usagi, and received a large hug and thank you. Mamoru chuckled, remembering how happy Usagi had been to be able to start working once more and how beautiful she'd looked when she was happy. A blush crept into his cheeks at the thought, and he smacked his head with his hand.

'Don't think that,' his mind old him. 'It'll only get you into trouble.'

Mamoru conceded the point, and finished showering and dressing, and went out to the kitchen to make a small breakfast. After leaving a note for Usagi, he grabbed his jacket, walked out of the apartment, locked the door behind him, and headed for work.

It was nearing 8:30 pm, the time Mamoru would be back from work.

Usagi was in a better mood today; Rei and Ami had come over and spent many hours with her, and had left just ten minutes ago. Deciding to surprise Mamoru with dinner, she walked to the kitchen and looked through the cupboards, pulling out a few things every now and then. Once all of the ingredients were pulled out, she set about making lasagna.

'Noodles, meat, egg and cottage cheese mix, cheese, noodles, meat, cheese,' she repeated over and over in her head. Once she had finished layering the lasagna, she placed it into the oven, setting the timer for fifteen minutes. Once that was out of the way, she began to prepare some fruits and vegetables, setting carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower onto one half of a plate, and grapes, strawberries and cherries on the other half. In the middle she set a small cup of vegetable dip, completing the tray.

Taking the tray in her hand, she brought it out to the dining room table and placed it in the middle of the table. Going back to the kitchen, she took out two plates, two glasses, two forks, knives and spoons, and two napkins and place mates, and quickly set the table.

Next, she brought out apple cider, pouring it into the two cups, and then putting it away. Finally satisfied that everything was done and ready, she sat down on the couch to wait for Mamoru to get home.

Five minutes later, the door to the apartment swung open, and Mamoru stepped inside, another pile of papers in his hands. Smiling slightly, Usagi went to him and took the papers, putting them on the end table.

"Mamoru," she said, "dinner will be ready in just a few minutes. Go sit down at the table, and don't worry about anything."

"Usagi," Mamoru said, his eyes clouded with confusion, "why did you...?"

Usagi hesitated and then shrugged her shoulders slightly.

"I wanted to do something nice for you. You've done so much for me, and this is the least that I can do for you."

The timer went off at that moment, and she went to the kitchen, pulling on oven mitts and opening the oven, pulling out the lasagna and bringing it into the dining room, setting it on hot pads in the middle of the table, next to the fruit and vegetable tray.

"I hope you like lasagna," Usagi said with a light smile as she took the lid off of the dish, revealing lasagna cooked to perfection.

Mamoru's eyes were alight with pleasure.

"Lasagna is my favorite food!" he said with a laugh. "Thank you very much, Usagi."

Usagi smiled and nodded, and proceeded to take a few pieces of fruit from the tray, placing them on her plate and eating.

The two ate in silence, each enjoying the other's company, smiling at each other when they caught the others eye.

After dinner, the two spent some time talking about their pasts with each other. Usagi talked about each of her friends, how they'd been together since middle school, and despite each of them being twenty one now, they were still as close to each other as could be.

Mamoru talked about his friends Motoki and Riku, talking more about Riku than Motoki, as Usagi knew Motoki rather well.

It turned out that Riku was a doctor who worked with Mamoru at the hospital.

"I met him a year ago," Mamoru concluded, "and he's been one of my best friends ever since."

Usagi was silent for a moment, and then she looked up at Mamoru, before standing and beginning to pace back and forth.

"Mamoru," she began, "I think you should know what happened. With... him, I mean."

"Usagi, you don't have to--"

Usagi cut him off.

"I know I don't have to, but I want to. And you deserve to know what happened. You've wanted to know since you took me in, and I think it's time I told you."

Usagi took a deep breath, and for the third and final time, relayed the story, from her meeting of Matt, to the first date, to the start of the abuse, to the final abuse and rape, and then to when she ran away. As she talked, her voice was oddly detached. She didn't seem at all like herself, and for the first time as she told it, she didn't cry.

Mamoru listened to the whole thing without saying a word, without even moving or showing emotion. The only indication he gave of just how angry he was was when his hand clenched into a fist when she told, in explicit detail, how Matt had raped her.

Finally finished with the story, she looked up at him, her face devoid of emotion.

"Now you know," she said quietly. "You know all of it now. That my family is dead, and what happened with Matt. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner, but I just couldn't."

She stood and turned to go to the bedroom when a pair of strong arms caught and held her around the waist, pulling her to his body.

Usagi looked up into Mamoru's eyes, her body recoiling from the look of fierce anger in his eyes.

He noticed the change in her body, and instantly the look of anger in his eyes changed to one of concern and a fierce possessiveness of this girl that he held.

"Usagi," he whispered softly into her ear, "I will never hurt you. I'm sorry for what Matt did, and I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you from him. But I promise you this. I am here for you, now and whenever you need me to be. Alright?"

Usagi nodded slightly, and leaned into the comfort of his embrace, wrapping her arms slowly around him, and allowing him to hold her close.

They stayed like that for awhile, neither willing to be the first to let go.

Finally, Usagi unwrapped her arms from around him and took a step back, a light smile on her face.

"Again, Mamoru, I want to thank you. You've been so patient with me for these past two weeks, and I want to let you know, it means a lot to me. That you haven't forced me to tell you, and that you haven't gotten angry when I refused to tell you. It really..." she paused as she tried to think of how to put it into words that wouldn't sound stupid, but gave up. "It really means a lot to me," she concluded.

Mamoru nodded, and stepped closer to Usagi, putting his hands softly on her shoulders once more.

"Usagi..." His eyes stared into hers, dark, ocean blue to a clearer, cerulean blue.

"Yes, Mamoru?" Usagi responded quietly, her heart pounding faster in her chest.

"I..." Mamoru paused and after a moment, pulled his hands away, using extreme will power to do so. But now wasn't the time to tell her how he was feeling. She didn't need that, not now, not so soon after what had happened between her and Matt.

Matt... Mamoru's face changed suddenly, into a mask of cold outrage. That son of a bitch had hurt his Usagi. And he was going to pay for it.

Usagi watched the play of emotions on Mamoru's face, and shivered slightly at the look of pure ice on his face.

"Mamoru," she whispered softly, "Please, don't do anything. He'll know I'm here, then, and he'll come get me when you are at work. Please, just leave it alone. We'll do something about him later, but not now. Please, just leave it alone."

The sound of pleading in Usagi's voice melted his heart, and reluctantly, he nodded and turned to face her.

"Alright, Usagi. But he will pay for what he did to you. In one way or another, he will pay for hurting you like he did," Mamoru ground out.

Usagi nodded slightly.

"I agree, Mamoru. But not now. If he finds out where I am..."

The look of stark terror that flooded into her eyes at the thought of Matt finding her had Mamoru's arms wrapped around her once more, holding her close to him, running his hands softly up and down her back and murmuring soothing words into her hair.

"He won't find you, Usagi. I won't let him find you or take you back. I promise."

Usagi nodded, desperate to believe what he was telling her, knowing deep inside that what he said was the truth, that he wouldn't let anything bad happen to her ever again.

Laying her head on his chest, she let a few tears drip down her face, not making a move to brush them away. For these few minutes, at least, she could, and she would, allow herself to be weak. For this one space in time, she'd allow Mamoru to see just how much his words had affected her.

After awhile, she pulled back, and wiped her face with the sleeve of her shirt.

"All of a sudden, I'm tired," she said with a wry smile. "I think I'll call it a night, alright?"

Mamoru nodded his head.

"Of course. I completely understand. Come on, let's get to bed. Tomorrow is a new day, and we'll see what comes."

Usagi nodded and, dragging her feet, headed to the bedroom, where, too exhausted to change, she fell down fully clothed on the bed and fell fast asleep.

Mamoru stayed up for awhile after Usagi went to bed, thinking about all he'd been told.

What could have possibly driven Matt to harm Usagi? It didn't make any sense. The Matt that Mamoru had known wouldn't harm a fly, much less a human being. And yet, he had. Usagi would never lie about such a thing, or even joke about it. And even if he had been inclined to believe she had lied about it, the bruises on her arms and legs, and the way she had behaved those first few days proved that she hadn't been lying.

This brought him back to thinking of reasons why Matt had done it. Sure, some people snapped at one point or another due to pressure, but Matt wasn't under any pressure. He'd gotten a part time job at Usagi's company, and didn't have a whole lot of work to do, which ruled out the breaking under stress theory.

This left only two options. Either Matt had psychological problems, or he was a cold blooded criminal.

Mamoru didn't want to think of Matt as either one of them. How could Matt, the Matt that Mamoru had known and grown to think of as a brother, do anything that cruel? It didn't seem even remotely possible, and yet Usagi had proof. The bruises on her body were fading now, yes, but there were so many of them that it would take a very long time for them to go away completely. Mamoru shook his head. He didn't want to think about this right now, or ever again.

Standing and stretching, he looked down at his watch, and when he realized it was 1:30 am, he grimaced.

'Man, I've been sitting here for over three hours,' he thought to himself, stretching and walking to the bedroom.

Quickly stripping off his clothes, he pulled on his silk pajamas and climbed into the bed, laying beside Usagi and quickly falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.

The next morning, Mamoru woke to find Usagi nestled in his arms.

Smiling, he bent down and gave her a small kiss on the head, not wanting to move. Then he remembered: today was Friday, which meant he had only a half a day of work, and then the entire weekend off to be with this girl.

Turning on the water in the bathroom, he let it run, waiting until the steam fogged up the mirror slightly, and then stepping in, letting the hot water wash over his body. Once he had washed his hair, he turned the shower off and grabbed a fluffy white towel, drying himself off and stepping out of the shower, pulling on his clothes, a black pair of pants and a dark green turtleneck.

Running a brush through his thick black hair, and putting a bit of gel in it, he was ready to go. Popping two waffles into the toaster, he waited impatiently for them to get done.

After what seemed like forever, the toaster clicked and the waffles were done. Tugging them out, Mamoru quickly spread some butter on them, and put a little bit of syrup on them. Writing a fast note to Usagi, telling her good morning and that he'd be home early, he grabbed his car keys from the counter, ran out of the apartment, locking the door behind him, down the steps and to his car, heading off for another day of work.


	7. The Truths of Love: Chapter seven

The Truths of Love: Chapter seven

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Never have, never will, so please don't sue me.

"Whoa, man, slow down!" came the voice of one of Mamoru's closest friends, Riku Kurosaki. "What's the rush that you can't take the stairs one at a time?" Riku's aqua colored eyes sparkled with laughter as he asked the question.

"Shut up, Riku," Mamoru responded with a laugh. "Work is done for the week. I want to get out of here."

Riku laughed.

"There's got to be some other reason than that. You've always loved working here before," he said.

"Yes, well," Mamoru muttered. "I have to go. I'll talk to you later, Riku."

And before Riku could say another word, Mamoru resumed moving down the stairs, taking them three at a time.

Laughing, Riku shook his head and continued up the stairs of the hospital.

"Usagi!" Mamoru called as he let himself into the apartment. "I'm home!"

Usagi's blonde head stuck out the door to the bedroom and she smiled slightly.

"Welcome home, Mamoru." She said.

"Thank you. Usagi, I have a surprise for you," he continued.

Usagi's eyebrows shot up in surprise. A surprise? For her?

"A surprise? What is it?" She asked him.

Mamoru grinned as he responded, "Get dressed and come on out. We're going out today."

Usagi's face blanched and she shook her head frantically. "What if he sees us?" She asked him.

Mamoru shook his head. "Don't worry, Usagi. I'm here. I'll keep you safe. And what are the odds that he'd be going out for a walk in Tokyo Park today? Come on, it'll do you good to get some fresh air. And I won't take no for an answer.

Grumbling, Usagi retreated into the room, her heart pounding at the thought of going outside. If he found her... She shook her head.

Mamoru was right, after all. The chances that Matt would pick this particular day at this particular time were slim to none. And it would be nice to get out into the fresh air again.

With a sigh, she went to the closet, pulling out one of her favorite outfits: a royal purple tank top with small flowers embroidered on the front, and a pair of tight black paints with silver threading.

After she had changed her clothes, she walked out into the bathroom, pulling her hair up into a single long ponytail, and then applying a small amount of makeup, consisting mainly of foundation, blush, lip gloss, and a little bit of purple eye shadow.

Walking out of the bathroom, and then out of the bedroom, she nodded to Mamoru.

"Alright," she said, "Let's go. I want to see this surprise."

Mamoru smirked slightly, and then turned to look at her, and his mouth dropped open.

Usagi looked prettier than she had in days. Her long silver blonde hair was pulled into a ponytail, and a few stray pieces were falling into her face, but it didn't seem to matter to her. The shirt she was wearing clung to every curve of her body, and showed off the cerulean color of her eyes. Her black pants clung to her hips, accentuating her hour glass figure. The little bit of makeup she had on only added to her look of beauty, her skin seeming to glow, her lips a little fuller and her eyes standing out more.

Snapping his mouth shut, he smiled and held out an arm.

"Shall we go?" He asked.

Taking his arm, Usagi smiled up at him. "We shall indeed," she responded. "Geez, Mamoru, what's gotten into you today? You're so excited."

Mamoru laughed, not about to tell her what was going on. He had two surprises planned for her, the first one being lunch at the Crown Arcade and Café with all of her friends, Naru included. The second one... well, that came later, and hopefully she'd respond affirmatively.

Smiling and joking with her all the way down the stairs, he led her out of the apartment building and down the street, heading towards the Crown Arcade and Café.

Usagi tilted her head to one side suspiciously.

"I thought you said we were going for a walk," she said suspiciously.

"Well, have you eaten lunch yet?" Mamoru asked calmly.

"Well, no, but..."

"Then we'll stop in at the Crown and pick up a quick lunch. Afterwards, we'll go for a walk. Alright?"

Usagi hesitated, and then nodded. "Alright, Mamoru. We'll do that."

Smiling, Mamoru led Usagi down the street and to the Crown Arcade. Walking in, Mamoru turned to look for the girls, and noticing them, gave a slight nod to indicate that he'd seen them. Turning back to Usagi, he said "Come on. Let's go sit down. There's a spot in back that we can go to."

"Alright," Usagi said with a shrug, again following his lead... directly into a group of girls, who all screamed and jumped and threw themselves at Usagi.

Usagi's eyes widened as she looked around, her eyes finally recognizing Ami, Rei, Minako, Makoto and...

"Naru!" She cried out in delight, running to her friend's side and throwing her arms around her in a hug. "It's so good to see you!"

Naru laughed and hugged Usagi in response. "It's good to see you again as well, Usa. Everyone at work misses you. And Matt has been absolutely frantic."

At the mention of Matt, everyone around the table grew silent. Usagi looked away, biting the inside of her cheek. Noticing this, Naru's eyes grew worried.

"Usagi? What happened between you and Matt?" She asked quietly.

With a sigh, Usagi related quickly and without detail what had happened. At the end of her story, Naru's eyes were bulging and her teeth were clenched.

"Why that no good..." she paused and looked around the table at the other five sitting there. When none of them failed to make a response, or show any indication of what they were feeling at this outrage, Naru raised her voice a bit. "What's the matter with you guys? Didn't you hear what he did to her? Don't you have anything to say to her?" Naru's eyes sparkled fiercely. If these girls didn't say a thing, they obviously weren't the friends that Usagi made them out to be.

"Naru, they all know," Usagi said quietly, color blossoming in her cheeks. "they all came to see me a few days after... after it happened. I told them then. And Mamoru... I just told him about it yesterday, even though he's the one that has been taking care of me. I hadn't seen you, so I wasn't able to tell you what happened. But now you know."

Minako frowned and looked from Usagi to Naru and back again. Usagi's face had become drawn and pale, and Naru looked ready to chew rocks.

"Come on, you guys. This is supposed to be a happy day! We're all together for the first time in weeks. Now, let's put that dirty topic away and talk about something else. And we can't forget to thank Mamo-chan for setting this up for us, can we?"

Usagi looked up at Mamoru, her eyes wide, taking in his sparkling eyes.

"You set this up?" She asked incredulously. "Why?"

Mamoru smiled softly and took her hand in one of his. "Because I like to see you happy," he answered, the look in his eyes enough to melt any girl he looked at, and Usagi wasn't an exception.

Throwing her arms around him, she squeezed him tightly and murmured her thanks over and over.

His cheeks pink, Mamoru pulled Usagi back from him and smiled. "You're welcome. Now, let's eat our lunch and be on our way, right?"

Usagi smiled and nodded, and they both ordered their food, oblivious to the knowing looks that the five other girls at the table were giving the two of them.

After an hour of eating and gossiping, Usagi and Mamoru stood, excusing themselves and saying their goodbyes to the five girls and Motoki. Turning to Usagi, Mamoru held his hand out for hers. "Shall we go to the park now, Usagi?"

Usagi smiled and took his hand. "Let's go," she responded. The two of them walked hand in hand out the door of the Crown Arcade and Café and down the street to the Tokyo Park.

As they walked, they began to chat about one thing and another, and Usagi laughed every so often. As they were about to turn and head back to the apartment, a familiar drawling voice called to them.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here," Matt LaClare said as he stepped in front of Usagi and Mamoru. "My best friend and my girlfriend. Or should I say, my ex best friend. After all, Mamoru, you lied to me. You told me you hadn't seen her, and now I find that not only have you seen her, you're with her." Matt shook his head regretfully, his eyes sparkling with maliciousness. "But tell me, Mamoru. Was she as good for you as she was for me? You've obviously slept with the little whore by now, haven't you?" He asked, his voice dripping with venom, his eyes glaring into Usagi's.

Usagi's face had turned white when she'd first heard Matt's voice, and now she was shaking like a leaf. Mamoru's face remained impassive as he took a step closer to Matt. Being 6'3 with broad shoulders, Mamoru easily towered over Matt, who was only 5'6.

"Excuse me, Matt. But did I just hear you call Usagi a whore?"

"That's right," Matt sneered. "I was the best thing to happen to the slut's life. Without me she'd be--"

Matt's words were cut off when Mamoru's fist connected with Matt's chin. Mamoru's eyes glinted dangerously as Matt fell pack, blood beginning to drip from his nose.

"Don't you ever call her a whore, or a slut, again. Am I understood? I don't know when or why you changed, Matt, but the change you made doesn't suit you. And if I ever hear that you talked to Usagi again, I will make sure it's the last thing you do." Taking Usagi gently by the shoulders, he turned her around and began to walk off with her. "Oh, and Matt. We'll see you in court," Mamoru finished, his voice jovial, but the look in his eyes completely belying the tone of his voice.

"Come on, Usagi," Mamoru said quietly, "Let's get you back home. There're some things we need to talk about, and something I have to tell you."

Usagi's body was shaking like a leaf at the end of the confrontation, and it was all she could do to nod, and to lift her feet enough to walk.

Noticing this, Mamoru lifted her off her feet and cradled her gently in his arms, walking with her back to the apartment.

Once they were back in the safety of his apartment, Mamoru carefully placed his shaking bundle onto the couch and sat beside her, pulling her into his arms and holding her tightly, running his hands softly over her back, brushing his fingers softly up and down her spine, cooing little nothings into her hair, anything he could think of to calm her down.

"It's alright, Usagi. He's gone now. Calm down now, Usako, everything is okay. You have so many people that love you and want to take care of you. Rei and Ami, Minako and Makoto, Naru and Motoki. They all love you and want to see you happy." He brushed his thumb softly over her cheek, lifting her head up to face him. "And, perhaps most importantly... I love you."

Usagi stiffened at his last words, and looked up into his face.

"Wait...what did you just say?" She asked quietly, unable to believe what she had just heard.

Mamoru averted his gaze, looking anywhere but at her.

"I said I love you."

Struggling to sit up, she took his face in her hands and studied him carefully, her whole being screaming out to say she loved him too. But she couldn't. Not yet. She had to make absolutely certain that he wasn't playing with him. She studied his eyes carefully, and after two minutes, she nodded once, and dropped her hands back to her sides and looked away.

"Mamoru... "Usagi whispered softly, leaning her head against his chest, tears running slowly down her face. "Oh, Mamo-chan. But... but Matt... if he finds out..." Her eyes grew clouded with horror as she remembered the dream she'd had, where Mamoru was lying in bed, and Matt had slit his throat. "No, no, I can't let that happen," she mumbled to herself.

"Take it back!" She demanded, tears running down her face. "Don't say you love me! You can't love me! If Matt finds out, then you'll... you'll... he'll kill you!" She cried out, anguished. "He'll kill you, and then I'll be left with no one. No, damn it! You can't love me!" And that said, Usagi bolted upright, pushing away from him and running to the bedroom, where she promptly shut and locked the door.

Mamoru sighed and stood, walking to the bedroom door, trying the handle, and then knocking softly on it.

"Usagi," he said softly.

"Go away!" Came the muffled voice.

"Usagi, I can't take back what I said. Because what I said was the truth. I do love you. And.... If you don't love me in return, I understand."

Usagi's heart broke at those words, and she stood, running to the door and throwing it open, she took his hand in hers.

"Mamoru, it's not that," she said, tears running down her face. "If he finds out that... that we're in love... Mamoru, he'll kill you! He got so jealous when I even talked to another male... if he realizes that I love you, he'll kill you."

Mamoru paused, looking down at Usagi.

"You love me." It was more a statement than a question.

Usagi shook her head miserably. "But don't you understand?" she whispered, the sound drowned out as Mamoru pulled her to his chest. "We shouldn't... he'll find out..."

Mamoru gently tilted her head up, looking down into her eyes, nothing else mattering right now.

"I heard you," he replied. "And frankly, I don't care. He can try to kill me as much as he wants. But he'll never succeed. And now, I have one thing that he doesn't."

"What's that?" Usagi whispered, unable to tear her eyes away from his.

Mamoru lowered his head and slowly brushed his lips over hers. "I have you," he whispered softly, and all further words were cut off as he placed his lips on hers, in a soft, slow, sweet kiss.

At first Usagi struggled in Mamoru's arms, not wanting to do this, but slowly, she relaxed in his arms, and once more she began to slowly kiss him back. Her arms wrapped slowly around him, holding her tighter to him, unable to get close enough.

Mamoru's own arms wrapped around Usagi's waist, holding her close to him, his mouth on hers, and for awhile, they stayed that way, until slowly the kiss began to deepen. Mamoru slowly ran his tongue along her bottom lip, asking for entrance to her mouth.

Her lips parted, and Mamoru's tongue slowly slid into her mouth, and his eyes widened in shocked delight. Her mouth tasted of cherries and chocolate in an odd yet delicious mix, one that he'd never tasted before.

At the touch of Mamoru's tongue in her mouth, Usagi's eyes widened in panic, remembering the last time someone had kissed her in somewhat the same way as this. Hurriedly, she pulled back, and Mamoru, recognizing the panic in her eyes, let her.

"Usagi," he whispered huskily, "I will never hurt you. I love you Usagi, and I only want you to be comfortable. If you don't want me to do this, I won't."

Usagi relaxed slowly and just leaned in his arms for awhile, before looking up into his eyes.

"Mamoru...?" she asked timidly.

"Yes, Usako?"

Usagi blushed slightly at the term of endearment he used, but continued on. "Mamo-chan, will you hold me tonight? I don't... I don't want to be alone..."

Mamoru smiled softly and nodded.

"Of course, Usako, if that's what you want, I'll do it. I'll do anything you ask me to."

Usagi smiled softly, noticing that he used the endearment once more. She nodded once, indicating that that's what she wanted him to do.

The two of them lay in bed that night, Usagi wrapped in Mamoru's arms, smiling softly, her eyes closed, her body held to his. They lay together whispering, talking softly to each other, smiling and laughing at each other.

At around 2 am, the two drifted off to sleep, still held in each others arms.

The next morning, Usagi awoke and found herself staring into the big, beautiful blue eyes of the person she loved. Smiling and stretching languidly, Usagi spoke.

"Morning."

"Morning love," Mamoru replied with a light smile. "Did you sleep well?"

Grinning, Usagi responded, "I slept like the dead." She hesitated, and then plunged on. "Mamoru, I'm sorry about last night. I'm worried, though. What I said was the truth, if Matt realizes that we're together, he'll find you, and he'll kill you. I don't want to lose you, Mamo-chan," Usagi whispered softly. "So please... just be careful."

At that moment the phone rang.

Mumbling, Mamoru sat up and grabbed for the phone.

"Hello?" he spoke into the phone.

There was a silence on the other end of the phone, broken only by a heavy breathing and then a voice, raspy, said, "Mamoru. I'm watching you. You'll be sorry."

Mamoru looked over at Usagi and forced a smile.

"Usagi, I have to take this call. I'll be back with you in a minute."

That said, he walked out of the room and down the hall to his study, closing the door and picking up the phone once more.

"Matt, I know that's you," Mamoru said with a smirk. "And there's nothing you can do to me. You have nothing against me, and you have nothing to use against me, either."

The voice laughed, a deep, harsh laugh.

"Oh, but I do Mamoru. The girl will pay for what you did. She's a lovely piece of work, isn't she? Imagine what she'll look like with no skin... with blood dripping down her body, and her screaming out in pain. Imagine her having her entrails ripped out of her body, dissected if you will. And you'll know that you have no one to blame but yourself."

Mamoru's face drained of color, and when next he spoke, his own voice was harsh.

"You won't touch her, Matt. You won't even be able to get close to her. And another thing. You're going about this the wrong way. You're problem is with me, not with her. So don't try to get me scared by talking about her."

The voice on the other end of the line chuckled.

"I see I've hit a weak spot, eh, Mamo-chan? Well, I warn you now. Watch out. Because when you least expect it, I'll be there. And she'll be there too, but you won't be able to recognize her. I'm going to have a little bit of fun with out little bunny. And there's nothing you can do to stop me."

With a laugh, the person on the other end of the phone hung up, leaving Mamoru gasping for breath, the blood drained from his face. Replacing the phone on the receiver, he nearly jumped out of his skin when it rang again.

"H-hello?"

"Mamoru? It's Motoki. What's the matter? You sound like you just saw a ghost."

Mamoru laughed bitterly.

"Not a ghost, Motoki. An evil creature, spawned from the pits of Hell."

Mamoru went on to tell Motoki about the phone call he'd just received from Matt.

There was an intake of breath from the other end of the line when Mamoru finished, and Motoki let out a low whistle.

"He's serious, isn't he?" Motoki asked quietly.

"Yes, Motoki, I think he is," Mamoru answered wryly.

"Well, I'm not going to worry," Motoki said forcefully. "As long as Usagi is with you, she'll be fine. And as long as she's with anyone she'll be fine. If there are any days where you have to go to the hospital, and none of the girls can come, give me a call and I'll be over in a flash, or take her to the Crown and I'll watch her for you. Alright?"

Mamoru gave a relieved sigh and nodded his head.

"Thanks, Motoki. You don't know how relieved I am to be able to count on you guys. Now, what is it you called me for?"

"Ah, well, about that. I just called to ask if you and Usagi wanted to join the girls and me for dinner tonight. Say, around 7:30 we'll meet at the Crown and go out somewhere?"

"Sounds good, Motoki. We'll see you tonight. Bye."

"See ya, Mamoru."

Hanging up the phone, Mamoru went back to the bedroom.

"Who was it, Mamoru?" Usagi asked as Mamoru walked back into the room.

"It was Motoki," Mamoru replied. "The connection cut out, so he had to call back. We've been invited to dinner with him and the girls tonight. How does that sound?"

"Great!" Usagi answered. "I need to start getting ready... hm... what to wear. Mamoru, where are we going?"

Mamoru raised an eyebrow and shrugged slightly, amused at the girls reply.

"I'm not sure. We're meeting at the Crown Arcade, and going somewhere from there. Don't dress up too much; we might just go to a fast foods place."

Usagi pouted slightly, but nodded and went to get ready for the dinner.


	8. The Truths of Love: Chapter eight

The Truths of Love: Chapter eight

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Never have, never will, so please don't sue me.

Usagi and Mamoru arrived at the Crown Arcade and Café at 7:25 that night.

After hours of debating on what to wear, Usagi had finally chosen something casual yet elegant.

She was wearing a white silk blouse under a tan suit jacket, and tan pants with black embroidery. On her feet she wore inch high black heels, and from her ears dangled small gold hoops.

Mamoru, on the other hand, had thrown anything he could find that was decent on, and ended up wearing black pants and a rich midnight blue sweater, complementing his eyes.

As the two of them walked into the crowd, Motoki looked up and let out a low whistle.

"Well, with you two all dressed up, we have to go some place nice," he joked, his green eyes alight with laughter.

Usagi wrinkled her nose and swatted at Motoki playfully.

"Well, you didn't help matters by not telling us where we're going," Usagi retorted. "How was I supposed to know what to wear? If we weren't going somewhere fancy, you should have told us."

Motoki laughed and lightly patted Usagi on the shoulder.

"Don't worry about it," he said. "After all, knowing the other girls, they'll all be as dressed up or more so than you are."

Usagi laughed, knowing how true Motoki's words were. Even Ami, who had gotten a job as a bioengineer, delighted in having fancy clothes in which she could go out in. And Minako being a model had a wardrobe, in Usagi's opinion, to die for. Makoto, who had traveled all over the world as a chef, had also picked up an impressive selection, and even the priestess Rei didn't hesitate to buy whatever caught her fancy.

"The girls aren't here yet, so you might as well sit down. Do you guys want anything to drink while you wait?"

Mamoru grimaced.

"Motoki, if we are going out to some expensive restaurant, I brought only enough money for Usa and myself. If I even have enough for what she'll eat," he confided in an overly loud whisper, earning a glare from Usagi.

"I don't eat that much," she pouted.

Mamoru grinned.

"Sure you don't," he said with a smirk. "That's why I've had to restock my kitchen twice in the past week, right?"

Usagi turned a brilliant shade of red and looked away.

"That's because... you told me I wasn't fat, and that I was too skinny! I was just trying to make you happy by eating more!" Usagi explained frantically.

Mamoru and Motoki both laughed.

"Who told you that you were fat, Usa?" Motoki asked curiously.

Immediately Usagi looked at Mamoru, asking him to come up with an excuse, or at least not to tell him.

"Usagi... he already knows about him. I told him the other day."

Usagi looked at the ground, a frown marring her features.

"I see," she said softly.

Watching this interplay, Motoki frowned and said "So it was him that told you you're fat, eh? That stupid, no good..."

"Motoki, please calm down," Usagi begged. "And don't say a word to the girls. They want to kill him enough as it is already. I don't need them to find out about this and have them add one more thing to kill him for. Besides," at this point, Usagi paused and threw a small smile in Mamoru's direction. "someone has shown me that what Matt says isn't the truth."

Motoki glanced from Usagi to Mamoru and back again, understanding dawning in his eyes. With a grin, he stepped in.

"Usagi, do you mind if I steal this man away for a minute? I need to talk to him."

Usagi blinked, confused, but shrugged.

"Go ahead, Motoki."

With a smile, Motoki took Mamoru's arm and led him a ways away, where they could keep and eye on Usagi, but still talk in private.

"So, you and Usagi are together now, eh?" Motoki asked bluntly.

Mamoru's face turned a funny shade of crimson.

"Ah, I suppose you could say that. But, Motoki, it's different. I love her. It's not just idle feelings, its actual love."

Motoki looked at Mamoru, studying him intently, before letting out a sigh.

"Look, Mamoru. You're my best friend, but Usagi's like a sister. I don't want to see her hurt again. So take care of her, alright?"

Mamoru looked hurt for a moment, that Motoki would even consider the possibility of Mamoru hurting her. But he quickly shrugged it off and nodded, a grim mile on his face.

"You can count on it. I will keep her safe from everything," Mamoru responded fiercely.

Motoki grinned wolfishly and clapped Mamoru on the back.

"That's what I wanted to hear. Now, let's get back to her, because I think the other girls are beginning to arrive. Fashionably late as usual, too."

Mamoru looked over his shoulder to see that Motoki was right, the girls were coming. And when he checked his watch, he noticed that Motoki was right on that account, too. It was 7:50. The girls were 20 minutes late.

"Way to be on time, girls," Usagi teased. "I was here five minutes before we were supposed to be."

"Oh were you, Odango?" Rei teased. "And I bet you'd be coming even later if you weren't staying with Mamoru, wouldn't you?"

Usagi's face turned a fiery red at the girls comment, and she was about to yell when a hand on her shoulder stopped her, and she turned to look into Mamoru's face.

"Now now, Usagi," He chided. "We don't want to throw a fit, do we?"

Turning to the four girls who'd just come in, he smiled.

You all look lovely, ladies. And I do believe Motoki has changed his mind about taking us to some inexpensive fast food restaurant. Especially seeing you girls."

Motoki chose that moment to come out from the back, his usual apron gone, and underneath it a light blue shirt, and black dress pants.

Minako gave a low whistle and smirked.

"Motoki, you look nice. It's a good thing we dressed up, because you obviously have an expensive place in mind, don't you?" She said with a wink.

Motoki turned a deep shade of red at Minako's comment, and then scratched the back of his head with a faint smile.

"Well, you obviously read my mind. I mean, look at you girls. Dressed to kill, aren't you?"

Laughing, Minako self consciously brushed a piece of nonexistent lint from her orange silk dress. Yellow beads in the design of flowers ran down the side of the dress, and a yellow silk ribbon was tied around the waist. Her long blonde hair was pulled off of her back and tied with an orange ribbon. On her feet were yellow slippers, and around her neck a simple gold chain.

Beside her, Ami was wearing a light blue blouse and a dark blue, floor length skirt. The buttons of her blouse were made of stones shaped and polished to look like small pearls. Her short azure colored hair was pulled up in an elegant twist, held in place by a rhinestone studded hair pin. She wore a delicate pearl necklace around her neck, and small pearl earrings dangled from her ears. Her light blue shoes peaked out from beneath the hem of her skirt.

Makoto wore a forest green silk shirt with black and pink embroidering. Her long black pants clung to the curves of her body, and flared out slightly at the bottom. Her auburn hair hung down her back for once. From her ears were tiny pink rose earrings, and she wore a small rose on a chain around her neck. Forest green stilettos on her feet completed the outfit.

Rei wore a violet colored top, and a short, black skirt, coming down to just below her knees. Her black hair was loose, as usual, but diamond studded clips held the sides back, giving her an elegant and graceful look. On her feet she wore simple black high heels, and around her neck a plain silver chain.

The group was getting stares from other customers of the Crown. And with good reason; it wasn't every day you saw seven people dressed up in such a casual place.

With a grimace and a look around, Motoki asked, "Well, should we go? We've drawn enough stares from this place. Let's go somewhere that we'll fit in."

Minako, Makoto, Rei and Usagi burst into laughter, and Mamoru and Ami smiled.

"What's the matter, Motoki?" Minako asked with a small smirk. "Don't you like being stared at?"

Motoki grinned at Minako.

"I like being stared at," he remarked casually. "But I don't like having people look at you when you're dressed like that. That's my honor. Come on, let's get out of here."

Minako looked stunned for an instant, and then shrugged it off and held her head high walking from the Arcade and out onto the sidewalk, followed by Ami, Rei, Makoto, Usagi, Mamoru, and finally Motoki.

"I call shot gun!" Minako sang as the seven people ran to get into a car.

"Not if I get there first!" Makoto shouted, and with that, a mad dash for the front seat of the car ensued.

Usagi laughed as she and Mamoru stepped out of the car in front of the apartment.

Dinner had been great, and the seven of them had sat and chatted for hours after they were finished eating, catching up on the latest gossip. Finally, though, Mamoru and Usagi had excused themselves, said goodnight, and left.

The drive home had been full of laughter and joy, Mamoru and Usagi talking more about themselves, telling stories about things that had happened.

As they got into the apartment, their laughter died down. Walking up the stairs to Mamoru's own room of the apartment, his arm wrapped around Usagi's waist, holding them both up, they whispered in each other's ears, resulting in more laughter.

Finally they reached his room, and opening the door, their joyful moods vanished.

The room had been trashed. Couches and chairs were tipped over, and the pillows had been slashed through with a knife. Feathers from the pillows were everywhere, on top of the couches and chairs, on top of dressers and chests. Red paint had been splashed on the walls, and, walking into the bedroom, a message had been written above the bed: I'm watching you.

Usagi sank to her knees when she read the writing on the wall, putting her face in her hands, all earlier gaiety forgotten in the face of this threat. Even the bedroom had been trashed. Once more, the pillows had been slashed open, the feathers strewn around the room and on the bed. The sheets had been torn apart, and red paint dripped from the ceiling and onto the bed.

"It's all my fault," she whispered. "He knows I'm here. I told you what would happen, Mamoru! You're lucky he hasn't killed you! I... I should leave! I shouldn't give him any more reason to hurt you, and--"

Her voice was cut off when Mamoru lightly laid his lips upon hers, effectively silencing her.

"You're not going anywhere," he whispered softly, looking deeply into her eyes. "You are staying with me. Matt isn't going to hurt us anymore."

Walking over to the phone, Mamoru quickly dialed Motoki's number, praying that he was home by now.

Two rings, three rings, then a click.

"Oh, good, you're home," Mamoru breathed out.

"Hi you've reached Motoki Furuhata, I'm not available right not, but leave a name and number and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks!"

"Dammit!" Mamoru cursed, slamming the phone down on the receiver. "Why is it, the one time I really need to talk to you, you're not home?!"

With a sigh, he picked the phone up and began to dial the police.

"If Motoki isn't home, then the police will have to--"

"No!" Usagi cried. "Don't call the police! We'll... we'll clean this up, and forget it happened. Just don't call the police."

Mamoru looked at her oddly.

"Look, Usagi, I have to call them. Not only did he abuse you, now he's vandalized my home and threatened both of us. The phone call earlier? The first one was from him. He threatened to..." Mamoru gulped and shook his head. "Well, I'll spare you the details. But he threatened your life today, and he's threatened mine as well. We can't just sit by idly and let him do this to us. I'm sorry, but I'm calling the police."

"Mamoru, no! He said..." She paused, looking away from Mamoru. "He said that if I ever called the police against him, he'd... he said he'd kill me! Please, Mamoru, don't call them. Please," she finished in a whisper, dropping her head into her hands, sobbing softly.

Mamoru sighed and put the phone back on the hook, walking over to her and putting his hands on her shoulders.

"Alright, Usagi," he said quietly. "I won't call them. I promise I won't call them yet. But if anything else happens, a threatening phone call, him vandalizing my house, him doing anything that involves either of us, then I will call them. No questions asked. Fair enough?"

Usagi breathed out, scrubbing her eyes with the back of her hand and nodding.

"Alright, Mamoru. That makes sense."

Mamoru nodded and leaned forward, kissing her head softly.

"Come on," he said softly. "We have a lot of work to do. We have to clean the feathers up, and then remake the bed. Let's burn the sheets instead of just throwing them away; that way, no questions will be asked. And then we'll go to sleep and forget this whole thing ever happened, alright?"

Usagi nodded and stood up, her knees shaking slightly before she could get a hold of them.

"I'll start cleaning in here, Mamoru, if you want to start out in the den. I don't think he stopped at just those two, either. We should check the rest of the apartment as well."

Mamoru nodded, heading to the door of the bedroom, where he hesitated.

"Will you be alright in here alone? If not, we can clean up together."

Usagi looked up at him, and grimaced slightly.

"Mamoru, I'm fine. I don't need to be babied all the time," she responded.

Smiling, Mamoru nodded and left the room.

After a few hours of cleaning up feathers, each of them taking turns using the vacuum cleaner, Usagi walked over to the bed, picking the torn sheets up and shuddering slightly.

"Mamoru," she called, "what should I do with the..."

Her eyes were caught by something shining on the floor, and her interest piqued, she went to see what it was. Picking it up, she realized it was the picture of her and her family she'd brought from her house. Smiling, she turned it over...and screamed.

Mamoru was in the den, just finishing turning over the couches when she screamed. Panicking, he dropped the end table he was holding and ran to the bedroom, where Usagi was standing over the bedside table, holding a picture in her hands, her eyes wide with horror.

"Usagi what is it?" Mamoru asked frantically. "What happened? What's wrong?"

Not saying a word, Usagi only pointed to the picture she was holding.

Taking it from her, Mamoru looked down at the picture and his eyes widened.

The picture was of Usagi, Shingo, and their parents, and the joy that had filled each of their faces made his heart ache. But what caught his eye was what had been done to the picture.

Usagi was just fine; nothing had been done to her. But Shingo, Ikuko and Kenji all had red paint dripping from what looked to be slashes drawn on their necks. In the background, the image of a plane crashing had been crudely drawn in. Red and black paint, mixed together to make a dark brown, almost charred looking color, were on their arms and legs, making them look charred and burnt. The person who had done this had drawn the mouths bigger, so it looked like they were screaming instead of laughing, with the red paint looking like blood dripping down from the mouth.

Mamoru dropped the picture to the floor, moving over to Usagi and taking her into his arms.

"It's alright, Usagi. Don't let it get to you. He's just using this to scare you," Mamoru murmured into her ear. "Don't let it bother you. He's a jerk to do this to you. I'm so sorry it happened."

"How can I not?" Usagi mumbled, too distraught to cry. "How can I not let it bother me? He used the one thing he knew that I wouldn't be able to ignore. Mamoru... why would he do this? Why does he hate me so much? I don't understand..." Usagi whispered softly.

Mamoru sighed and held the girl tighter in his arms.

"Don't worry, Usagi. He's just upset. In time, it'll all die down."

Usagi looked up at him, her eyes finally filling with tears.

"Do you think so, Mamo-chan? Do you really, really think so?"

Mamoru hesitated, and then nodded firmly.

"Yes, Usako. I do believe it. And I know it will stop soon."

'At least,' he thought to himself, 'I hope it stops soon. Because if it doesn't, I'm going to have one very distraught girl on my hands.'


	9. The Truths of Love: Chapter nine

The Truths of Love: Chapter nine

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Never have, never will, so please don't sue me.

"Motoki, I don't know what to do," Mamoru confided into the phone, speaking softly so as not to wake the girl who had finally fallen asleep on his bed. "Matt keeps finding ways to distress her. First, the whole episode with the rape and abuse in general, then the walk in the park where he once more managed to criticize and call her names. And now this? I don't get it. Matt would never--"

"Face it, Mamoru. He would, and he did. There's nothing you can do to change that fact. Why don't you call the police?" Motoki asked.

Mamoru sighed and scrubbed a hand through his hair, pulling it away and staring at it.

"I tried," he said. "Usagi stopped me. She was told by Matt that if she ever called the police against him, he'd kill her. She's terrified, Motoki, and personally, I don't blame her. It would take someone with no emotions and no feelings at all not to be affected by this." Mamoru sighed again. "What should I do, Motoki?"

Motoki was silent for awhile, mulling it over. Finally, his voice weary, he said, "Mamoru, I know she asked you not to, but you have to call the police. You don't have any other choice. He's threatened you both, and destroyed your property. That's worth calling the police for right there. And if they can get evidence against this guy for abusing and raping Usagi, you've got him booked for at least fifteen years in a federal prison. I know you don't want to take back your word to Usagi, but if you do, think of it. At least she'll be safe, right?"

Mamoru listened thoughtfully to his best friend's advice, and when Motoki was finished, Mamoru blew out a breath.

"You're right, Motoki. This needs to end. But you do realize there'll most likely be a court case, don't you?"

Motoki laughed.

"If there is, Mamoru, I'll be there supporting you and Usagi-chan through the whole thing. We know what really happened, as do the girls. And I'm sure that they'll be there supporting you two as well. Call the police, Mamoru. Get it over and done with."

Mamoru nodded.

"I suppose. But if Usako blows a gasket, it's your fault, and you'll have no one to blame but yourself."

The moment the words were out of his mouth, Mamoru regretted them. Those were the exact words Matt had spoken to him about what would happen with Usagi.

Shuddering and shaking those thoughts off, Mamoru turned to a different train of thought.

Motoki laughed at Mamoru's comment about Usagi, knowing just how true it was that she probably would get upset.

"I know she'll be hurt that you didn't talk to her before calling them. But at least you'll have that off of your mind. The last thing you need is to be worrying about that while you're performing... brain surgery or something in the hospital."

Mamoru laughed, relaxing slightly. For several minutes, he and Motoki talked about other light things, before finally getting back to the main topic.

"Alright, Motoki," Mamoru said. "I'll call the police. I'll let them know what happened, and then I'll leave it to them."

Motoki nodded to himself, and, realizing Mamoru wouldn't be able to see that over the phone, said, "Good choice. Talk to me later and tell me how it went, alright?"

"I'll do that, Motoki. And thanks for your help."

"Not a problem, Mamoru. G'night."

"Night Motoki."

Their goodbyes said, each of them hung up the phone.

Taking a deep breath, Mamoru picked the phone up once more and dialed the police.

Mamoru feel into bed an hour later. His call with the police had been... interesting, to say the least. He'd told them about the problem, and about how Matt had raped and abused Usagi. The police had given him their word that they'd be on the lookout for Matt, and after answering many more questions, had finally been allowed to hang up.

Closing his eyes, he drifted off to sleep.

Two days later, when Mamoru got home from work at the hospital, the phone rang. Walking over, he picked it up.

"Hello?" He said.

"Is this Mamoru Chiba?" a deep voice on the other end of the line asked.

"It is. May I ask who is calling?"

"This is Detective Dylan Bayes. We spoke a few days ago about Matt LaClare."

Mamoru's eyes widened in surprise. Why would the detective be calling him?

"Yes, Detective, I remember." He paused. "Look, if you guys have more questions, I'm sorry, but I told you all I know."

"No, no, Mamoru. We're calling to let you know that..." There was a pause, and then the detective rushed on. "We've caught Matt LaClare."

Mamoru's eyes bulged.

"You WHAT?!" He shouted into the phone.

The detective laughed, a deep, booming laugh.

"Yes, we caught him earlier this morning. We wanted to let you know so you don't have that on your mind anymore."

Mamoru sank down on the couch, his ears ringing, not believing what he'd heard.

"Th-thank you, Detective," he managed to utter.

"Of course. We'll talk later about court dates. For now I just wanted to let you know, you don't have to worry about him any longer."

"I won't. Thank you, Detective."

"You're welcome."

There was a click, and Mamoru was left staring at the phone for a minute, before jumping up and giving a whoop.

"Usagi!" He called out.

She came out of the bedroom, a magazine in her hand, and raised an eyebrow at his enthusiasm.

'Well, whoever called must've given him good news. I've never seen him this happy.' She thought to herself with a wry grin.

"Who was on the phone?" She asked.

Mamoru grinned.

"That was Detective Dylan Bayes. Usagi... they caught Matt!"

Usagi blinked once, twice, three times.

"That's funny, Mamoru. Why would they call you and tell you that, when you didn't..." She stopped and her eyes widened. "You called them, didn't you?"

Mamoru looked away his good mood diminishing quickly.

"Usagi, I know you said not to... but... I'm sorry, I had to. And they called now. He was caught earlier this morning. Usagi, we don't have to worry about him anymore."

"Mamoru... this is great!" Usagi squealed suddenly, running to Mamoru and throwing her arms around him. "Thank you so much. For not listening to me," she added wryly, raising her eyebrow once more.

Mamoru laughed and lightly returned her hug, before setting her down.

"Well, seeing as that's the case, tomorrow is a short day, so what do you say we go out to dinner to celebrate?"

Usagi nodded eagerly.

"Sounds great!" She replied.

"Good," Mamoru said. "Now, about dinner for tonight..."

The cell they had put him in was dark, cold, and smelled of mold. His eyes flashed with disdain as he looked around, sitting on the small, hard cot that was pushed against the far side of his cell.

His thoughts turned to the bitch that had put him here. Her long, silver blonde hair, those angelic cerulean eyes. She had been perfect. The very word mortal, if used on her, was an insult. No, the girl was an angel.

And Matt had wanted her to be his. He'd wanted her to be normal.

He remembered the day perfectly. He'd taken her out for a fancy dinner, and then he brought her home. He remembered hitting the angel because she'd talked to another man about him hitting and bruising her. And then, he'd taken her. He still remembered the way she'd felt beneath him, as he'd pumped in and out of her, taking his time to make her as mortal as he could. And instead of being grateful, she'd been upset.

His eyes narrowed as he recalled her begging and pleading with him to stop. But he'd wanted a mortal human, not an angel. You couldn't marry an angel, and Usagi Tsukino was definitely an angel. All he'd done was make her more mortal.

But of course that's what he had done wrong. She didn't want to be a mortal; she wanted to remain an angel.

"Too bad, darlin'," Matt whispered lowly to himself, chuckling. "You're as mortal as the rest of us. And you should be grateful. When I get out of here, I'll teach you to be grateful. I told you never to call the police on me, but you did. And it's time I taught you a lesson."

With a slightly maniacal chuckle, Matt LaClare stood up, and began pacing, plotting in his head just how he was going to escape. And came up with a brilliant plan.

Usagi was lounging on the couch the next day, flipping through channels on the television, when the door opened.

Looking down at her watch, she was surprised to find it an hour before Mamoru should be getting home, even on his short days.

"You're home early, Mamo-chan," she called, not bothering to look up from the T.V.

There was silence for a moment, and then the sound of footsteps walking over to her. Her eyes closed at the touch of a warm mouth on her neck, and she laughed softly.

"You're in a playful mood, Mamo-chan...but why not talk?"

Opening her eyes she looked up... and screamed. Standing above her was Matt LaClare, smirking down at.

"I thought you were in jail..." she whispered, struggling to sit up. "They said you wouldn't find me!"

"Well, little bunny, it seems I did find you," he whispered. "And there are some things I need to talk to you about. First off, there's the whole calling the police thing on me." He raised his hand and hit her, hard, across the face. "I told you never to call them."

Usagi whimpered, raising a hand to where his fist had connected with her face.

"I didn't call them, Matt. I promise, it wasn't me."

"Oh really, bunny? Then who was it, hm?" Matt sneered. "Was it...the tooth fairy? Or maybe it was Santa Clause, hm?"

Tears leaked down Usagi's face, and she held herself still, not wanting to provoke him further.

Matt leaned down in her face, taking in the scent of her hair, lilacs and lilies.

"No, little bunny. I think it was you. But don't worry, I'm not going to kill you. Yet. There are some other things we need to discuss, and something we need to do." His mouth curved in a cruel smirk.

Raising his hand, he hit her again.

"That's for running away from me. Why'd you leave, bunny? Didn't you like the way I was treating you? I was only making you mortal. Your head was always so high in the clouds because you're an angel. I just needed to make you mortal. And now you are."

A third slap.

"That's for being ungrateful for everything I've done for you."

Usagi brought her hands up, shielding her face from his hands. His third slap had knocked her onto the floor, and she'd hit her head on the end table. Touching the spot gingerly, she gasped when her fingers encountered something sticky, and pulling her hand back, wasn't surprised to see it covered in blood.

"You see, little bunny? You're mortal now. But I knew you were mortal the first time I took you. After all, angels don't bleed. And you bled."

He looked down at her, and his lip moved up in a half smirk, half sneer.

"Now this looks familiar. And I think I'll repeat that little scene."

He bent down, picking her up and throwing her on the couch, unzipping his pants and letting them drop to the floor, and then moving to unzip her pants as well, pushing them down her.

"No, Matt, stop!" Usagi screamed.

"Shut up, you little bitch," Matt muttered as he crawled on top of her. "There's no one here to save you now."

"Usagi, I'm home!" Mamoru called as we walked into the apartment.

Setting his keys down on the end table, he was about to walk into the kitchen when he heard it. A high pitched scream that could only come from Usagi. Dropping everything, he ran towards the den, and pulling open the door, was encountered with a scene from his worst nightmare: Usagi, pinned to the couch, and Matt LaClare about to thrust into her.

"Shut up, you little bitch," He heard Matt say. "There's no one here to save you now."

Walking over to Matt, Mamoru grabbed him by the shoulder, swung him around, and punched him in the face.

"Guess again," he gritted out. "Tell me, Matt, how did you manage to get out of jail?"

Matt laughed harshly. His eye was already starting to swell from where Mamoru had hit him, making it hard to see out of that eye.

"And why would I tell you that, Mamoru? No, I'm not telling you that. But I will say this: next time, maybe you should request that they have more people watching me."

He laughed low in his throat, and stood, pulling his pants back up.

"Well, little bunny. We had a nice chat. I do hope we can have one again. And next time, I'll make sure we're uninterrupted. Mamoru, it was good to see you again. Until next time." And turning around, he sauntered out of the apartment, his hands in his pockets, leaving Mamoru staring after him, hatred filling his eyes, and Usagi finally falling unconscious from the wound on her head.

"That bastard will pay," Mamoru muttered under his breath. "Did he hurt you, Usagi?" There was no answer.

"Usagi?"

Bending over her, he noticed the new bruises forming on his face, but what caught his attention was the little puddle of blood underneath her head.

Picking her up, he moved her hair aside, quickly finding the gash on the back of her head. Realizing how serious even minimum head wounds could be, he set her down on the couch, and rushed to the telephone.

Picking it up, he quickly dialed an ambulance to come and pick her up, knowing he didn't have the equipment to treat her himself. That call made, he quickly picked the phone up again and dialed Motoki's number.

"Hello?" Motoki's voice answered.

"Motoki, its Mamoru. He was here, Motoki. He hit Usagi, and knocked her from the couch. Her head must have hit the end table; it's bleeding, and she'd unconscious. I called an ambulance. They should be here shortly. Meet me at the hospital, alright?"

Motoki drew in a deep breath at what Mamoru told him, and when Mamoru was finished, he nodded.

"Right. I'll call the other girls, and we'll be at the hospital as soon as we can. Take care of her, Mamoru."

Hanging up the phone, Mamoru rushed over to Usagi's side, picking her up and cradling her in his arms.

"It's alright, Usagi. You're going to be fine. Everything is going to be alright," he whispered, carrying her carefully down the stairs when the ambulance arrived, careful not to jar her.

The paramedics came and took Usagi from him, laying her down on the portable hospital bed and wheeling her into the back of the ambulance. Motioning for Mamoru to come with, the other paramedic got into the drivers seat of the ambulance, and Mamoru went to get in on the passenger side. The last he saw of Usagi before the door closed was the paramedic hooking her up to an artificial respirator, in hopes of getting her to breathe again.

In the ambulance, the paramedic looked over at him.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Someone..." Mamoru paused, unsure of how to say it. "Someone hit her, and she fell off the couch she was on. I think she hit her head on the end table, and when I got to her, she fell unconscious."

The paramedic's eyes widened.

"Someone hit her, you say?"

Mamoru scowled and nodded, not wanting to have to repeat himself.

"I swear to you, it wasn't me. I would never hit her... never."

The paramedic looked skeptical for a minute, but after looking once at Mamoru's face, the tight line of his jaw, his furrowed eyebrows, and the look of immense concern in his eyes, knew he was telling the truth.

"Alright," the paramedic said. "I believe you. She'll be okay. Don't worry about it."

Mamoru nodded, his hand clenched tightly into a fist, belying his calm exterior.

Looking at the paramedic, Mamoru finally asked, "What's going to happen to her?"

The paramedic shrugged. "Based on how she looks right now, I'd say just a few stitches, an overnight in the hospital to make sure she's truly alright, and she'll be good to go. There's not much more we can do than that."

Nodding, Mamoru looked out the window. Silently, the two of them rode the rest of the way to the hospital.


	10. The Truths of Love: Chapter ten

The Truths of Love: Chapter ten

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Never have, never will, so please don't sue me.

A/N: Hey guys, thank you so much for all your reviews. I appreciate getting them! I'm just going to let you know, this might be the last chapter for awhile. School starts tomorrow, and I have to concentrate on school and studying. Plus I'm getting a job, and I have drama. So, I'll do my best to update as frequently as I can, but I just thought I should let you know not to expect chapters on a regular basis. Thanks again for all of your support, and on with the story!

"Where is she?" Minako burst out as she and the other three girls came skidding into the waiting room of the hospital. "What happened to Usagi?"

Mamoru stood up, surveying the four girls warily.

"Matt broke free from jail," Mamoru said quietly. "He came after Usagi and hit her. She fell off of the couch, and hit her head. I came home in time to stop him... to stop him from raping her again. She... she's in a coma. They put a few stitches in her head, closing off the gash, but with the hit on the head and Matt's unwanted appearance..."

Rei's eyes narrowed.

"He broke out of jail?" She said in disbelief. "Wow, that certainly makes me reconsider my safety. If a criminal can break out..."

Mamoru laughed harshly.

"I know what you mean. We'll deal with it later, though. Right now, we have to take care of Usagi. That is our main goal. One of you is allowed in at a time; I already went in, and she was sleeping. I don't know if she's up, but you're welcome to go in. One at a time, mind you, or the nurses will yell at you."

Rei, Minako, Ami, and Makoto winced at the thought of the nurses angry with them. Quickly it was decided that Rei, Ami, Minako and finally Makoto would be the order in which they went to see Usagi.

Rei stepped slowly into the hospital room. She sat down in a chair Mamoru had obviously used, as it was sitting directly beside the bed Usagi was currently residing.

Rei looked down at the peaceful, sleeping face of Usagi, and shook her head sadly.

'Why,' Rei thought to herself. 'Why would he want to harm this girl? Sure, she can be annoying, and a pest, and stubborn... but that's no reason to harm a person.' Rei gently took one of Usagi's hands in her own.

"Usagi," Rei said softly. "You have to get better and pull through this, you know. If you don't, who am I going to tease and pick on? No one argues like you do." Rei laughed softly at that, knowing just how true it was. "Come on, Usa-chan. You're strong, and no man doing this to you can cause you to lose your strength. Be strong, Usagi-chan. For all of us." Rei's words drifted off, and for a few more minutes, she sat in the chair beside the bed, holding Usagi's hand and stroking it gently with her thumb.

Finally she stood, and leaning over, gave Usagi a quick, friendly kiss on the forehead. Then she left the room.

Ami, Minako and Makoto's visits were much the same, each of them sitting with Usagi and holding her hand, murmuring words into her ear.

After a few hours, Makoto finally came out of the room, sitting down in a chair by the six other people in her group.

Mamoru looked up with a small smile.

"I know she wasn't awake to appreciate it you guys, but what you just did... well, I appreciate it. And I know that were she awake, she would too. You guys can go now. I know that you must have other places to be, and other things to be doing than sitting here in the hospital. Go on now. I'll stay with her."

Ami looked up at Mamoru concerned.

"Are you sure, Mamoru? We'd be happy to stay with you..."

Mamoru shook his head with a small smile.

"No, no. Go on. I'll be fine here."

"Call us if there's any change, or when she wakes up. Alright?" Makoto asked.

"Of course," Mamoru said. "I'll let you know the second anything changes. You guys go off now. Truly, I'll be fine."

With a last worried look, Motoki, Minako, Makoto, Ami and Rei filed out of the hospital, leaving Mamoru alone.

With a sigh, he stood and walked back to Usagi's room, sitting beside her once more and taking her hand in his, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand.

"Come on, Usako..." Mamoru whispered softly. "You have to pull through this. You have to. I don't even want to think about what will happen if you don't pull through this... Please, Usako, don't leave me alone..."

Leaning over the girl, Mamoru softly pressed his lips to hers, holding them there for a moment, before pulling back and watching her sleep.

After awhile, he became drowsy, and slowly, against his will, found himself falling asleep.

Usagi was dreaming.

She knew she was dreaming, because her family was there. Ikuko, her long dark hair waving behind her, was there, and Kenji, his dark brown hair slicked back. Shingo was there, laughing and running around, his blue eyes sparkling with laughter.

"Come on, Usagi!" Shingo called, running. "Come catch me!"

Laughing happily, Usagi obliged, and started running on her brother's trail. But with each step, she seemed to get further behind.

"Shingo, wait up!" Usagi called breathlessly. "You're going too fast, Shingo! Slow down; let me catch up to you!"

But with each word Usagi spoke, Shingo just seemed to run faster, until he was gone, vanished into the distance in a blur.

Usagi cried out in despair, sinking to her knees.

"No, Shingo! Come back!" She cried, but to no avail. The boy didn't come back.

A hand on her shoulder caused her to look up, into the eyes of her mother.

"Usagi, my dear. Now is not the time for you to catch up with him. You have things to do in the world still. You have people who care about and love you. You have people who need you. Don't give up on them now. Go back to them, Usagi, and soon enough you'll be with us. But for now, you must go on living."

"What about you?!" Usagi cried out. "I loved you! I cared about you, and I needed you! But that didn't stop you from leaving me, did it? It's not fair! I want you to come back..." She dropped down, putting her face in her hands and sobbing.

Ikuko stood behind her daughter, holding her close, murmuring soothing words to her.

"Don't worry, my love. We are always with you, no matter what. Now, wake up, Usagi. Go back to Mamoru and your friends. And remember. We're always in here," Ikuko said, putting one hand over Usagi's heart.

With a smile, Ikuko stepped back beside Kenji, and with a smile and a wave, they both vanished.

Usagi's eyes flew open and she gasped, looking around in a panic.

She was in a room completely painted and decorated in white. The walls were white, as were the sheets on the bed. The chairs were the only things that weren't white, and even they were upholstered in a sort of off white color, obviously the closest thing to white that could be found.

Sitting up, she fought back a wave of nausea, biting her lip to keep from crying out in pain. Her hand went to the back of her head, and gingerly touched the place where the gash in her head was, only to contact heavy strands of thread, holding the gash together.

Sighing, Usagi slumped back onto the bed, bringing the memory of her mother's words back again.

'It's not fair,' she thought, tears springing to her eyes. 'They talk about me having people here who love and need me. But what about me? I needed them, and they left me. It's not fair that they should be able to leave, and I can't.'

Tears ran silently down her cheeks, and she looked to the other side of the room, and right into the concerned eyes of Mamoru.

"Usagi," Mamoru breathed. "You're awake! I'm so relieved..."

Noticing the tears on her face, his relief instantly turned to concern.

"Are you alright, Usagi? Are you in pain?"

Usagi started to shake her head no, but then stopped, and nodded her head.

"It hurts, Mamoru," she whispered softly. "They tell me that I have to stay here and be with you and the girls because you need me. But I needed them, and they left me! It's not fair..." she whispered.

Mamoru blinked, lost at what she was talking about. When he realized she meant her parents, he sighed and pulled her close to him, being careful so as not to bump the I.V that was stuck in her arm.

"Usagi, I'm sorry they are gone. But you're leaving us too wouldn't have done anything for anyone," he said gently, running his hands slowly through her hair. "They were right in telling you to stay here. We need you, Usagi. Makoto, Ami, Rei, Minako, Motoki, they all need you." He paused and turned her to face him. "I need you."

Usagi looked down, tears trailing slowly down her face, and she sniffed once.

"Alright, Mamoru. I won't leave you. Not yet." She sighed and looked up at him, a small smile curving the side of her mouth upward. "Maybe they were right, after all. Without me, you'd be a total wreck, wouldn't you, Mamo-chan?" She teased.

Mamoru laughed.

"You got that right."

Usagi grimaced and gently rubbed her head.

"Mamoru?" She said softly. "Can I ask a favor of you?"

"Anything, Usagi. What can I do for you?"

Usagi grimaced once more and dropped her hands to her side.

"Can you find a doctor and see if you can get me anything for my head? It's absolutely killing me," she said.

Mamoru's face became concerned once more, and he stood quickly.

"Of course, Usagi. I'll get something immediately. You just... stay here and... don't move, right?"

That said, he turned and dashed out the door, leaving Usagi with a faint smirk on her face.

"Of course, Mamo-chan. I'll just stay here."

Closing her eyes, she drifted into a light sleep, waking only when the doctor came to give her a pain killer for her head. Once she'd taken it, she fell asleep once more.

Mamoru smiled softly as he watched Usagi sleeping. She looked so peaceful and content, all the worries and burdens of the past few weeks and months gone for the few hours of rest she could get.

Yawning, Mamoru was about to doze off as well when he remembered the promise he'd mad to Motoki and the girls, to call as soon as Usagi woke up.

Standing up, he went to the door of the room, opening it and looking out into the nearly deserted hallway of the hospital. Only a few doctors and nurses were around at this time of night, checking in on patients to make sure they were alright.

Walking to the closest pay phone, Mamoru pulled out a few coins, sliding them into the phone and then dialing Motoki's number.

"Hello?"

"Motoki? It's Mamoru. I just wanted to let you know that Usagi woke up a little bit ago. She's sleeping now; she took a pain killer for her head and went back to sleep. But she's no longer in any immediate danger from the head wound."

Motoki let out a breath of relief.

"That is very good news," Motoki said. "Look, it's a bit late now. I'm going to bed now, but I'll be over in the morning to visit and talk with her, alright?"

"Sounds good, Motoki. Sorry I called so late. Now I have to call the girls. I promised to let them know the minute anything happened, but I decided I'd let you know first."

Motoki laughed.

"This is why you're my best friend, Mamoru. You always keep me up to date before you fill anyone else in."

Laughing, Mamoru shook his head.

"Goodnight, Motoki."

"Goodnight, Mamoru."

Hanging up the phone, he dug in his pockets for more money, and sighed when he couldn't find any more.

Walking to the front desk, he smiled sheepishly at the woman behind the counter.

"Hello, Madoka," he said.

Madoka looked up in surprise.

"Mamoru, what are you doing here?" She asked. "I thought you had the week off."

"I do," Mamoru responded. "But... my girlfriend caught her head on the end table of my apartment, and put herself into a coma. She's a bit clumsy, but don't tell her I said that." Mamoru winked, causing Madoka to break out in laughter.

"Since when do you have a girlfriend, Mamoru?"

"Um, Wednesday. It all happened suddenly, but we're both happy, and we would be at my place right now if it weren't for her falling. Anyways, the thing is, I promised a bunch of her friends I'd call them when she woke up, and she woke up just a little bit ago. I seem to be low on change, so... is there anyway I can use the phone for a bit? Please?"

He gave her his winning smile, the smile known to cause girls hearts to beat harder in their chest.

Smirking and shaking her head, Madoka finally gave a short laugh.

"Alright, Mamoru. I'm not supposed to let people use the phones, but for you, I'll make an exception. Try and keep it short, though, alright?"

Mamoru grimaced.

"Madoka, I would love to keep it less than five minutes, but knowing the girls as I do, they'll want every bit of detail they can get. I promise I'll keep it as brief as possible. Thank you so much."

He bent down, giving the older woman a light peck on the cheek and turned to use the phone.

Madoka sighed and shook her head.

'That boy is going to cause a lot of hearts to break when it gets out that he has a girlfriend. I wonder who the lucky girl is, to have so captured his heart.'

Mamoru picked up the phone, quickly dialing Rei's number.

"Hino residence, Rei speaking."

"Rei, it's Mamoru," Mamoru said into the phone.

"Mamoru? What is it, what's wrong? Did something happen to Usagi?" Rei asked anxiously.

"Don't worry, Rei. She's fine. I'm just calling to let you know she woke up a while ago. She's asleep now, so if you want to come in the morning, I'm sure she'd love to see you."

Rei let out a breath and nodded.

"I'll be there," she said briskly into the phone. "Thank you for calling. I'll talk to you later."

"Later, Rei."

Hanging up the phone, he looked wryly at Madoka.

"One down, three to go," he said. "And I have a feeling these ones won't be so short."

True to his word, half an hour later, Mamoru finally got off of the phone with Minako. She kept asking him questions; was Usagi alright, did she need anything, what did she want to wear the next day, did she need anything brought to her, what kind of foods should be brought, what magazines hadn't she read, would she read any books, etc. Mamoru answered each question as best as he could, but finally told her that she'd just have to come to the hospital the next day and ask Usagi herself.

Sighing and running a hand through his dark hair, he picked up the phone, dialing Ami's number next.

"Mizuno household, this is Dr. Mizuno speaking."

"Dr. Mizuno? It's Mamoru Chiba. Is Ami there?"

"Oh, hello, Mamoru. Tell me, how's Usagi?"

"Actually, Dr. Mizuno, that's what I'm calling about. She woke up a little bit ago. She's going to be fine."

"Oh what wonderful news," Dr. Mizuno said. "Hang on a moment, let me get Ami."

There was silence for a moment, and then Ami picked up.

"Hello?"

"Ami, its Mamoru. Usagi's fine. She woke up a little bit ago. I've called Rei, Minako and Motoki, and they're all coming to see her tomorrow if you want to."

"Ah. I'll be there as well, then. I suppose you're using the hospital phone, and I also suppose that Minako kept you talking for at least forty five minutes, so I'll let you go," Ami said with a laugh.

Mamoru grinned wryly.

"Yes, I am using the hospital phone, and actually, it was more like half an hour, but you were close."

Ami laughed.

"I'll see you and Usagi tomorrow, Mamoru. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Ami."

Hanging up the phone, Mamoru turned to Madoka with an apologetic smile.

"Just one more call, Madoka. Thank you so much. I'll never forget this."

Madoka laughed and winked at him.

"You owe me one, Mamoru."

"Definitely," Mamoru said with a smile, and picking up the phone, made his last call.

"Hello?"

"Makoto, its Mamoru."

"Mamoru, how is she? What happened? Obviously something happened if you're calling me. Is she alright? What's going on?"

Mamoru smiled slightly.

"Calm down, Makoto. She's fine. I'm calling to let you know that she woke up a while ago. I would have called you sooner, but Minako kept me for awhile."

Makoto groaned slightly.

"Say no more, I completely understand. So what's going on? Are we meeting at the hospital tomorrow?" Makoto asked.

"That's about the way of it," Mamoru replied. "Rei, Ami, Minako and Motoki are going to be here at noon."

"Noon it is. I'll be there, and I'll bring some cookies."

Mamoru laughed.

"I'm sure Usagi will like that. I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"Yep. See ya, Mamoru!"

"Bye Makoto."

Mamoru hung up the phone and sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Alright, I'm done. Thanks a bunch, Madoka."

"Think nothing of it, Mamoru. Say hi to your girlfriend for me, and tell her I hope she gets better soon."

"I'll do that. Thanks again, Madoka."

Mamoru jogged slightly down the hall, skirting trays and nurses making their nightly rounds. When he got to Usagi's room, he looked down at her sleeping face and smiled, placing a soft kiss on her forehead, before sitting down in the plastic chair, closing his eyes, and falling asleep.


	11. The Truths of Love: Chapter eleven

The Truths of Love: Chapter eleven

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Never have, never will, so please don't sue me.

Mamoru was awakened the next morning by the sound of the door closing and a cart rattling to the side of the bed.

Opening his eyes and rubbing them blearily, he glanced at the sounds, watching as a nurse came to Usagi's side and took the arm with the I.V. in it, pulling the needle out and changing it. Mamoru cringed at the sight of the needle, his fear of needles surfacing.

Quickly looking away, he waited until the nurse had finished changing the I.V. bag before looking back. His eyes lit up as Usagi sat up.

"Mm. It's morning," she said gleefully. "That means I get breakfast, doesn't it?"

The nurse looked taken aback, but Mamoru laughed.

"There's my Usako. The one who thinks of food twenty four hours a day, seven days a week," he teased.

Usagi wrinkled her nose.

"Shut up, Mamoru. I do not think of food all the time."

Mamoru just laughed.

The nurse took a tray from the cart, placing it in front of Usagi and pulling the cover off. The look in Usagi's eyes as the food was revealed was comical.

A small portion of over cooked eggs and tiny, smoking sausages, burned toast and a small bowl of soggy oatmeal were on the tray. The only thing that looked remotely edible was the orange juice, which was in a small plastic container.

Usagi's face fell, and she turned pleading eyes on the nurse.

"Oh, come on!" She said. "This isn't breakfast, it's... plastic!"

The nurse frowned slightly at the outburst.

"Ms. Tsukino, it's what every patient at the hospital gets. I'm sorry it's not to your approval, but it's all we serve."

Usagi turned a pretty shade of pink at the disapproval in the nurse's voice, and to make up for her rudeness took a big bite of the eggs, wincing mentally but forcing a smile.

"Mm, these are good!" She said with forced cheerfulness, swallowing the bite in her mouth.

The nurse smiled grimly and turned around, taking her cart and leaving the room.

As soon as she was gone, Usagi's face turned a weird shade of green, and pulling the I.V. pole with her, made a mad dash for the bathroom. From the inside, sounds of retching could be heard, and when Usagi came back out, her face was a bit pale.

"Ugh," she said, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Those really were made of plastic."

Mamoru took one look at Usagi's face and burst out laughing.

"Usagi, you are a riot," he managed to choke out. "Come on, I'll take you down to the cafeteria. At least the food down there is somewhat decent."

Usagi smiled gratefully at Mamoru and stood up, dragging the I.V. pole with her as she headed for the door.

"Well?" she demanded, turning back to face Mamoru. "Are you coming or not? I'm hungry; I haven't eaten since lunch yesterday."

Mamoru smirked and stood up, stretching out quickly, listening to the satisfying crack of his back.

Usagi winced.

"Mamoru, that's disgusting."

Mamoru turned a smirk on Usagi.

"What did you expect I'd get for sleeping in that plastic chair all night?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

Usagi's eyes widened in shock.

"You spent the night in that chair?" She asked incredulously. "Why didn't you go home? You could have slept in your own bed, and been much more comfortable."

Mamoru cocked an eyebrow.

"And leave you here by yourself? I think not. Besides," he added as he walked over to her, "I didn't want to go home. I wanted to be here, with you."

Usagi turned her face away, but not before he could see the tinge of pink in her cheeks.

"Mamoru," she murmured quietly, "Thank you."

Mamoru nodded slightly and smiled.

"Ah, the girls and Motoki are coming to visit at noon today. I thought I'd let you know in advance."

Usagi's face fell slightly.

"At noon?! How long do I have to be here for?!"

Mamoru laughed and put an arm around her shoulders as they walked out of the room and down the hallway.

"The doctors said that if you don't show any signs of relapsing into the coma, you're free to go tomorrow. But aren't you happy that your friends are coming?"

Usagi looked down for a moment, a frown marring her brows, but at the prospect of her friends coming, her face brightened.

"Alright, fine. I'll make the best out of this. And besides, Minako will know exactly what needs to be brought for me."

Mamoru laughed, remembering his conversation the night before.

"I believe you're right about that," he responded wryly. "You can expect to have an entire wardrobe brought in by her. Oh, and Makoto's bringing cookies."

At that Usagi squealed in delight.

"Oh, this'll be great! And they always said that being in the hospital would be boring. Not when you have friends like I do!"

Mamoru laughed, and together the two of them made their way to the cafeteria.

"Minna-san!" Usagi cried as Rei, Makoto and Ami, followed by Motoki, walked into the room.

Looking around, Usagi frowned.

"Where's Minako?"

Rei smirked.

"She's unpacking your bags from the car. She said she was alright, and that we should come up and see you. But," and here Rei stopped and smirked again. "With the amount of stuff she packed, it'll take her at least three trips to bring it all up."

Usagi laughed and nodded.

"Come here," she said, "Give me a hug, you guys. And Makoto, bring those cookies over here! I'm starving!"

Laughing, Makoto set the cookies down on Usagi's lap, and each of the people in the room proceeded to hug her, carefully so as not to disturb the I.V.

A commotion at the door turned all heads to see Minako, panting and carrying two suitcases, three duffle bags, and a small carry on bag with her.

"Here, Usagi! Your clothes are in the two suit cases, and there are books, magazines, and miscellaneous other things to do in the duffle bags. And your make up is in here," she added, gesturing to the carry on bag.

Usagi stared, dumbfounded by all the stuff.

"Minako," she began, "I'm only going to be here until tomorrow. Did you really have to bring my entire closet?"

Minako scoffed.

"Come on, Usagi!" She said with a grin. "What happens when you meet a really hot doctor?" Minako's eyes sparkled at the prospect.

Usagi's eyes lit up, and casting a quick glance in Mamoru's direction, laughed when she saw the scowl marring his perfect features.

"Don't give me that look, Mamoru. I can at least look, can't I?"

Mamoru grunted, and the rest of the people in the room laughed along with Usagi.

"So, when did that happen?" Makoto asked with a grin.

"And more importantly, why didn't you tell us when it did?" Motoki asked Mamoru.

Usagi turned a faint shade of red, and Mamoru coughed.

"Ah, it happened the day that we went to lunch with you guys... but something marred it, and made it so that we didn't really want to talk about it," Mamoru explained briefly.

Usagi looked down, remembering how Matt had come along during her and Mamoru's walk, ruining the entire day. Until she and Mamoru had gotten home, and he'd told her he loved her, at any rate.

Looking up, she met the worried eyes of her friends, and forced a smile.

"Don't worry, everything's all right. Anyway, I guess it just slipped our minds with all that's happened recently."

Usagi smiled and lightly threaded her fingers through Mamoru's.

"I'm sorry we didn't tell you," Usagi apologized.

Rei smirked.

"Well it's about time, you two," she said, her tone teasing.

Usagi and Mamoru blinked, looking at each other.

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?" Usagi demanded, her eyes flashing challengingly.

Makoto grinned.

"You two were the only ones who weren't aware of how you always looked at each other. I mean, really. It was only a matter of time before you got together."

Usagi crossed her arms and shook her head.

"That is so untrue. Geez, Makoto, you know nothing."

Usagi stuck her tongue out, and her eyes widened when her tongue was grabbed by a laughing Minako.

"I told you never to stick your tongue out, didn't I?"

"Lemmeh go!" Usagi mumbled, wriggling frantically to get away.

Grinning, Minako let go of her tongue, walking over to the sink and washing her hands.

"Ew," she complained. "Usagi germs."

"Well," Usagi said sweetly, "If you hadn't grabbed my tongue, you wouldn't have gotten my 'germs'."

"Well, if _you_ hadn't stuck your tongue out in the first place, I wouldn't have had to grab it," Minako responded reasonably.

"Well, if YOU hadn't..." Usagi trailed off, frowning in thought.

Makoto, Ami, Rei, Motoki and Mamoru burst into laughter, watching the display between the two blondes.

"Bah, I give up. But you shouldn't have grabbed my tongue." Usagi said finally, crossing her arms and pouting lightly.

"And you shouldn't have stuck it out. You set yourself up," Minako replied.

Usagi glared at her, and Mamoru grimaced.

'If looks could kill,' he thought wryly, 'Minako would be in Hell twice over by now.'

A smirk crossed his face, and Usagi, noticing it, turned a hurt look on him.

"You find this funny, don't you, Mamoru?" She asked. "You find it funny to see me being tortured, don't you?"

Mamoru's face grew grim at her words, remembering the threat Matt had made over the phone.

"Never say that, Usagi," he said fiercely. "Never say that. I would never want to see you hurt in any way."

Usagi blinked at the seriousness in Mamoru's tone, and the look of intensity in his ocean blue eyes.

"Relax, Mamoru," she said lightly. "I was only joking. I know you don't want to see me hurt."

Mamoru nodded and looked away, the intensity draining from his face, leaving him looking drawn and slightly old.

Motoki looked at Mamoru, worried.

"Mamoru, are you alright?" He asked. "You look tired."

Mamoru laughed slightly, the sound tight to all ears.

"I guess I am. It's what I get for sleeping in that damned plastic chair." He winced a bit at the memory. "Ah, look. If it's alright with you guys, I'm gonna go home and rest for a few hours. Can you guys stay with her for awhile?"

"Sure, Mamoru," Minako said. "You look like you could use the rest. Go home; we'll keep Usagi out of trouble."

Usagi pretended to look affronted.

"More like, I'll be keeping them out of trouble," she muttered under her breath, earning her a swat from Rei and Makoto.

Turning to Mamoru, her face softened.

"Get some rest, love," she said gently. "I'll still be here when you decide to come back. And these guys won't leave me for a second, will you?" She looked at the five of them, her face meaningful.

A chorus of No's, and We'll be with her the whole time filled Mamoru's ears, and with a light smile he stood up, heading for the door of the room.

Walking down the hall of the hospital and giving curt hello's to the nurses and doctors he passed, he quickly left the hospital, hailed a taxi, and went back to his apartment. Upon arriving, he threw his door open, went to his bedroom, and collapsed on his bed, not bothering to take his shoes off. Closing his eyes, he fell into a dead sleep.

"You guys, was it just me, or was Mamoru acting oddly before he left?" Usagi asked, her brow furrowed in thought.

Motoki blanched at the question, knowing what had been going through his mind. Mamoru had told him about the phone call he'd received from Matt, threatening to torture Usagi, and so it was only a normal reaction for him to act as he had.

But obviously, and rightly, Mamoru hadn't told Usagi about it, and Motoki wasn't about to, either. So, rubbing the back of his head, he quickly said, "Well, wouldn't you be acting weird too if you had spent the night in an uncomfortable hospital chair? I mean, really, you can't expect the guy to be exactly perky and cheerful after spending a night in that."

Motoki pointed to the chair Mamoru had been sitting in, and had slept in the night before.

Frowning again, Usagi murmured, "But of all the chairs in here, why that one? He could have used the recliner. Sure, it's a little uncomfortable, but it's bigger, and at least it's cushioned."

Minako rolled her eyes.

"Duh, Usagi. He wanted to be as close to you as possible, without actually laying on the bed with you. The recliner wouldn't get as close as the smaller chair, so of course he chose the small one."

Usagi blinked once, her cheeks turning pink.

"Do you really think that's what happened?" she asked shyly.

Rei snorted indelicately.

"Of course it is, Odango Atama. Geez, you're so daft."

Usagi puffed up.

"Rei, how many times have I asked you not to call me that?" Usagi demanded.

Rei grinned.

"And how many times have I ignored your request?" She shot back.

Usagi sniffed once.

"Geez, Rei, you're so mean to me!" she cried.

Rei laughed.

"And you love it, you can't deny that."

Usagi crossed her arms, refusing to talk to Rei.

"Oh, come on, Usagi. You know I'm only joking."

"Hmph. Alright, Rei, I forgive you. Again."

"What do you mean by 'again'?" Rei asked indignantly, and for the next few hours, Usagi and Rei bantered back and forth, with Ami, Minako, Makoto and Motoki just laughing and shaking their heads as they watched.

Five hours later, Mamoru reappeared in the hospital, his clothes changed and his air freshly washed. He looked much better than he had when he left, and he seemed to be much more cheerful as well.

"Thanks for staying with her, you guys," he said softly, careful not to wake Usagi who had apparently fallen asleep just a little bit ago.

"You can go now, if you want. I'm staying with her for the rest of the night. She'll be going home tomorrow, and I'm going to be here to get her out as soon as possible."

The girls and Motoki nodded and stood, each of them stretching slightly as they headed towards the door of the hospital room.

"We'll drop by your place tomorrow, alright, Mamoru?" Ami said softly. "To check in and see how she's doing."

Mamoru nodded his assent, and the five people left the room, each casting one last fond look at the sleeping girl.

Mamoru smiled softly, and walking over to the bags Minako had brought, opened one of the duffle bags, pulling out a couple of magazines. Walking over to the recliner, he sat down and leaned back, propping his feet up and preparing to settle in for a long night.


	12. The Truths of Love: Chapter twelve

The Truths of Love: Chapter twelve

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Never have, never will, so please don't sue me.

"Ah, it feels so good to be out of there!" Usagi exclaimed gleefully. "No more hospital food, no more I.V. pole when I have to go to the bathroom, and no more white!"

Mamoru laughed as he glanced at the girl sitting beside him in his car.

She was a bundle of energy after having just gotten out of the hospital after two days of staying there. Of course, she'd have to go back in once the stitches on her head had to come out, but that was beside the point.

All she cared about was that she was free from that stupid, stuffy hospital, and on the road to home again.

Mamoru's smile slowly faded away as he thought of the events that had put Usagi in the hospital to begin with.

"Usagi," he began quietly, "We have to take him to court for this. We can't let him get away with hurting you any longer."

Usagi's good mood vanished abruptly.

"Mamo-chan... we can't--"

"Take him to court because we don't have evidence?" Mamoru scoffed. "Sure, the bruises may have gone away, but what about the gash on your head, hm? He caused that."

"But not directly!" Usagi argued. Then she remembered the encounter where she'd almost been raped again, and the bruises she had gained from that one.

"Ah... actually, Mamoru... I do have bruises. From the second time he tried..."

Shivering, she rubbed her arms, wincing slightly as her hands touched the bruises on her arms.

Mamoru glanced over at her, his eyes icy.

Usagi, seeing the cold look in his eyes, flinched back, and instantly the look in his eyes softened.

"Usagi, I'm not upset or mad at you," Mamoru said gently. "I'm angry with two people. I'm mad at Matt for doing this to you, and myself... for not believing you when you came to me."

Usagi looked out the window, silent for a bit.

"Don't beat yourself up over it, Mamoru," she said finally, her voice quiet. "He was your friend. You couldn't have known what he was like, and even if you did, it wouldn't have mattered because he was your friend."

Mamoru shook his head.

"Be that as it may, I'd known you longer. And I knew you would never lie to me. Matt... well, Matt has lied to me before, but about trivial things. You never once lied to me. I should have known you weren't lying to me then."

Usagi shrugged slightly, still not looking at him.

"Still, Mamoru, don't be upset with yourself. Alright?"

Mamoru hesitated, and then nodded.

"Alright, Usako. If you say so."

Usagi smiled.

"I do say so," she said. "So no more of this beating yourself in the head."

Mamoru smiled slightly, and signaling, he turned right into the garage of his apartment. He parked the car and got out to carry the bags of Usagi's stuff that Minako had brought up the stairs to his apartment.

Usagi yawned as she walked in beside Mamoru.

"You know what I am looking forward to the most?" She asked as they got in to the apartment, and Mamoru was finally able to put the bags down.

"No, what are you looking forward to the most?" Mamoru asked.

Usagi grinned as she turned to him.

"A nice, home cooked meal. Eggs that aren't too hard to eat, bacon and toast that aren't burned to a crisp, and sausages that are longer than a fingernail."

Mamoru grinned and shook his head.

"What did I tell you?" he said with a laugh. "You're always thinking about food."

Usagi puffed up indignantly.

"That's not true!" She said angrily. "And besides, if you were stuck eating the hospital food, you'd want a nice home cooked meal too."

Mamoru laughed and conceded the point.

"Alright, alright. You're right. I wouldn't mind a nice home cooked meal right now, either."

Usagi smiled triumphantly.

"You see?" She exclaimed. "I'm not the only one with food on my mind."

Mamoru shook his head with a smile, walking towards the kitchen to make a small, but much better breakfast than the ones served at the hospital.

Fifteen minutes later, the food was done and set out on the table.

"Usagi, food's ready!" Mamoru called.

"I'm coming!" Usagi responded, dashing into the dining room and sitting down at the table.

As they were eating, the phone rang, and Mamoru got up to go get it.

"Hello?" he said into the phone.

"Hello, Mamoru. It's Detective Bayes."

Mamoru's eyes narrowed.

"Hello, Detective. What can I do for you?"

There was a sigh from the other end of the phone.

"I know you're probably upset about Matt getting away. But we want you to know that once more, we've caught him. We're searching his house now for evidence to bring to court. And speaking of court... you have to decide a court date. It can't be this month, but next month, sometime at the end of next month, or any time there after."

Mamoru sighed and nodded to himself.

"I know. I'll talk to Usagi and we'll set a time. Is there any number you can be reached at?"

"When you and Usagi decide on a date, call 555-8706. That's my office, and I should be there from 8am to around 11pm. Give me a call, and we'll work something out. Have a good day, Mamoru."

"You too, Detective."

Mamoru hung up the phone and sighed, running a hand through his dark hair and walking back out to the dining room.

Once there, the serious call from the detective was just about pushed from his mind as he saw Usagi, finishing her first plate of eggs and moving for a second, while trying to reach the bacon and sausages as well.

Shaking his head, he laughed and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her from behind, effectively cutting off her attempts for more food.

"Usako, love..." he began softly. "We need to talk."

Usagi paused, and her eyes widened at his words, and quickly, her good mood vanished. Setting down her plate, she stood up and walked to the den, where she sat down on the couch, refusing to look at Mamoru as he sat next to her and took her hand.

"I know what this is about," Usagi said abruptly.

Mamoru raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"You do?" he asked.

Usagi nodded curtly.

"Of course. You don't love me. You just said it that night to calm me down. I'm sorry I've been such a burden on you. That was probably the girl that you really want to be with, wasn't it?"

"Usagi...that was Detective Bayes. He wants us to decide on a court date."

Usagi blinked, and a slow flush crept up her cheeks. She turned to look at Mamoru, and blushed a brighter shade of red as she saw the smirk playing over his face.

Usagi sighed, and did her best to frown.

"You shouldn't have said 'we need to talk' like that, Mamoru! You had me scared... that you wanted me to leave, and go back to the house alone..." her voice trailed off and she looked away, but not before Mamoru saw he fear that was apparent in her eyes and on her face.

Mamoru shook his head.

"Never, Usagi. And actually, we do need to have a talk. But that's not for now."

He grinned, idly touching the small box he had in his pocket, the one he had picked up on his way to the hospital the day before, after he had taken a short rest.

"Anyways," he continued, "Detective Bayes needs us to decide when we want to go to court. He said it can't be this month, but sometime at the end of next month, or any time there after. It can't be too much longer, though, or the court case will be dismissed."

Usagi nodded, looking thoughtful.

"I don't want it to be too far away, either," she said softly. "I have my own evidence... and they'll fade soon enough. We should take pictures of the bruises before they completely fade away..." She shivered at the thought.

Mamoru nodded slightly, and then, hesitating, looked away.

"Usagi... the first night you were here... I did take pictures. I should have asked you, but I couldn't... you were too delirious. I just took pictures of your arms and legs, and of your face. That should be enough evidence right there to get him convicted, at least for a few years."

Usagi looked away, knowing he had been right to take them, and yet still angry that he had without her permission. Still, though, now that she thought back to those few days, she knew she wouldn't have given him permission, whether he was Mamoru or not.

Usagi turned back to him with a faint smile and leaned over, kissing his cheek gently.

"Thank you for taking care of me," she said softly. "It means a lot to me... A lot more than you will ever know."

Mamoru smiled slightly, wrapping his arms gently around Usagi and pulling her closer, lightly kissing the top of her head.

"Usagi, when do we want to do this? Go to court, I mean."

Usagi sighed and closed her eyes, wanting to forget, just for the minute, that any of it had happened.

Opening her eyes once more, she turned to Mamoru.

"Why not next month sometime... how about... August 27th?"

Mamoru looked intently at her, and then nodded.

"August 27th it is. We have a lot of work to do before then; it's only one month away. We have to get doctors reports on what happened with the gash on your head and--"

"Mamoru, he didn't do that," Usagi cut in. "I fell off of the couch."

"But he caused it," Mamoru agued. "It's the same thing. Intentional or not, he caused it by trying to rape you again. What damages were done was his fault."

Usagi hesitated, and then nodded, realizing he was right.

"Alright, Mamoru," she said softly. "I suppose that's true..."

She sighed.

"I'm just... I'm scared, Mamoru. What if he doesn't get convicted? What if he gets away with all he's done? He'll come after me for bringing him to court, Mamoru... and the court won't want to have the same case again."

Mamoru held her closer, rocking her slowly back and forth, murmuring soothing words to her.

"Usagi, it won't happen. We won't let him get away with it. We have evidence of what he did, and Detective Bayes is going to Matt's house tomorrow to collect more evidence. He won't get away with what he did. We'll make sure of that. Alright?"

Usagi nodded tremulously.

"Alright, Mamoru. I trust you."

Mamoru smiled softly.

"Good. Now then. The girls and Motoki are coming over today, so why don't we clean up the table, and then clean ourselves up and get ready, eh?"

Usagi brightened considerably at the news of her friends coming over.

"Alright, Mamoru. And... do you want to call Detective Bayes back and let him know what we decided?"

Mamoru nodded.

"I'll do that right away. You get started on cleaning the table, and I'll go call him, alright?"

Usagi nodded, and the two of them split up.

"Detective Bayes?" Mamoru said into the phone.

"What can I do for you, Mamoru?" the detective asked.

"Usagi and I... we have decided on a date for court. How does August 27th sound?"

"Mm, that should be fine," Bayes said into the phone. "Ah, look. Don't mention this to the girl, but... we found something in his house. Something that should be enough to put him in prison for life."

Mamoru's eyebrows shot up.

"What is it?" he asked anxiously.

"Yes well, about that. I can't tell you quite yet. But when we get to court, you'll find out at the same time as Usagi. Just know that he won't get away with doing any of this, alright?"

Mamoru hesitated, frowning, his mind reeling over anything that could possibly be enough against Matt to put him in prison for life. Finally shrugging it off, he sighed.

"Alright, Detective," Mamoru said. "We'll see you at court on the 27th."

"Okay, Mamoru. See you then."

Sighing, Mamoru hung up the phone and walked into the bedroom. Flopping down on the bed and closing his eyes, he thought again about what could have been found that would incriminate Matt. But nothing came to him, except for the thought that he may have raped and abused other women back in America. But that didn't make sense to him, so he pushed it from his head.

For a few hours, he lay awake, thinking, each thought as unlikely as the one before it. Finally realizing it was about 3 in the morning, he decided to get some sleep.

Pushing thoughts from his head, he opened his eyes and turned to Usagi and smiled softly as he watched her sleep. Closing his eyes once more, he too fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning, Usagi was awakened to a pounding on the front door of the apartment.

Sitting up and shaking her head, she rubbed her eyes to clear them of sleep, and then stood up. Walking to the front door, she yawned before pulling it open.

She blinked once in surprise as she realized who it was standing at the doorstep. Frowning, she turned back and looked at the clock. It was 2:30 pm.

Her eyes flew wide open in surprise, and turning back to the girls standing at the door she laughed and threw the door open wide.

"Girls!" She exclaimed. "Come on in! I had no idea it was so late; I don't know why I didn't wake up before. Please, come in."

Minako laughed, and Rei smirked.

"Geez, Usagi," Rei teased. "I knew you were lazy, but not getting up until 2:30 is drawing the line a bit, isn't it?"

Usagi glared at Rei.

"For your information, we were busy last night. We were cleaning because we thought you guys were going to come yesterday, like you said you were going to, but then you never showed up."

Rei had the grace to blush.

"We're sorry about that, Usagi. We just thought that you might want to settle in once more before we came barging in. After all, you did just get out of the hospital. We thought we'd give you some room," Rei explained hastily.

Minako nodded once.

"It was Ami's idea," she said. "Ami told us to let you get some rest before we came over and bugged you more."

Usagi grinned at that last bit.

"And bugged me, eh? She should have known that you would be a welcome distraction, not a bother."

Usagi rolled her eyes.

"You could have at least called to let us know you weren't coming," she continued. "Mamoru and I were up until 1 am thinking you were just coming late. So it's your own fault that I slept so late this morning. Maybe if you had let us know, we wouldn't have been up so late, and therefore wouldn't have been up so late."

Once again, the two girls blushed, looking down.

"Yes, well," Minako mumbled lightly. "We're very sorry about that. Anyways, get dressed. We have a full day planned for you, and we need to get started now. We'll be lucky if we get to everything that's been planned, seeing as we're starting so late."

Usagi nodded, and quickly ran into the bedroom.

Fifteen minutes later she came out again, freshly showered and clothed, and ready to go.

"Alright, then," Usagi said with a grin, looking from Minako to Rei and back again. "Let's go!"

Laughing, Usagi, Rei and Minako made their way from the apartment, down the steps, and to Minako's red sports car.

"To the mall!" Minako called.

"To the mall!" The others responded with a laugh, and with that, the car pulled out of the apartment garage and drove down the street, heading towards the mall.


	13. The Truths of Love: Chapter thirteen

The Truths of Love: Chapter thirteen

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Never have, never will, so please don't sue me.

Usagi yawned as she got home from the mall that day, exhausted but happy.

"Mamo-chan," she called as she walked into the apartment, tucking the key he gave her back into her purse. "Mamo-chan, I'm home."

Mamoru looked up from his desk in the study and smiled, standing up and stretching a bit, before walking out of the study to greet her.

"Did you have a good day, love?" he asked her as he pulled her into an embrace.

Usagi giggled and nodded slightly as she was held in his arms.

"Minako and Rei took me to the mall today, and then we went and saw a movie...But I can't remember the name of it. It was bad, though." She laughed. "But we had a good time making fun of it."

"I see," Mamoru said with a smile, pulling back and looking down at her face. 

"Sorry we were out so late," Usagi apologized. "Minako had this whole list planned out, and wouldn't let us come home until we were done with everything on the list. And there was a lot on it."

She grimaced and ran a hand through her hair, looking down at it, and for the first time, Mamoru noticed it was a few inches shorter. His eyebrows shot up in surprise and he looked back at her face.

"You let them talk you into getting your hair cut?" he asked incredulously.

Usagi blushed and quickly pushed her hair behind her back once more.

"It was just a few inches," she muttered. "Minako told me to get it cut because of all the split ends. And trust me, Mamoru, there were lots of split ends, because of those few days that I didn't take care of my hair and all... so..." She sighed. "It looks terrible, doesn't it? I knew they took off too much."

Mamoru shook his head quickly.

"No, no, not at all! It looks fine. It looks wonderful. I was just surprised that you got it cut was all."

Usagi hesitated, and then nodded slightly.

"If you say so, Mamoru," she said softly, looking down.

"I do say so," Mamoru replied. "I would never lie to you, Usako. Never. You know that, don't you?"

Usagi nodded once.

"I know, Mamoru. I'm sorry." She sighed softly and pulled away from him, walking to the bedroom and closing the door behind her. Then she went to the bathroom and took a quick shower, not bothering to wash her hair, as she had earlier that day.

Once she was done, she got out and changed into a silk nightgown, going back to the bedroom and laying down on the bed. Closing her eyes, she drifted off to sleep.

She was dreaming again, that same familiar dream.

She was running down a hallway, but each corner she turned, she ran into Matt LaClare, who was standing there laughing softly, hideously into her face. She couldn't escape him, no matter how hard she tried.

Tears ran down her face as she kept running into him, over and over again, and finally, she turned a corner and ran straight into his arms.

"I've caught you, little bunny," he hissed into her ear. "And this time, you won't escape from me..."

Usagi screamed...

...And sat bolt upright in the bed, her breathing harsh and panicked, her head turning right and left quickly, looking around, trying to remember where she was.

The bed sheets were tangled around her legs from her thrashing and turning, and beads of sweat ran down her face.

Noticing Mamoru wasn't in the bed, she looked over at the clock, which read 10:20 pm.

With a sigh, she untangled the bed sheets and stood up, getting out of the bed and walking out of the room, down the hall and to Mamoru's study.

Mamoru looked up as he heard the sound of footsteps behind him, and his eyes widened at the sight of Usagi's face.

Tear stains spotted her cheeks, and little beads of sweat ran down the lines. Tears still leaked slowly from the corners of her eyes, and immediately he stood, dropping what he was doing and rushing over to her, gathering her in his arms.

"Usako, love, what happened?" he asked gently.

"It... it was that dream again," she whispered softly."I couldn't get away from him... he just... just kept coming."

Mamoru held her in his arms, whispering softly, rocking her back and forth.

After awhile, she finally looked up, her eyes shining softly with unshed tears.

"Mamoru...make the memories go away... make everything better..." she pleaded."I can't live like this anymore... the dreams... they keep coming back. More so now then they have for weeks."

She looked down, and tears fell from her eyes to the floor.

"Make them stop, Mamo-chan," she whispered.

Mamoru's heart melted at the sound of her voice. Never before had she been so child like, so innocent. Not even when she had been raped had she acted like this. It was heart wrenching to watch as the girl he loved wept in his arms, begging him to take the fears and memories away from her.

Finally her weeping subsided, and she collapsed against him, her tears wetting his shirt.

Picking her up, Mamoru carried her slowly back to the bedroom, laying her on the bed, where she promptly fell asleep once more.

Sighing and knowing that he'd get no more work done tonight, he changed into his pajama's and lay down beside her, pulling her into his arms, holding her as she slept.

'Matt,' he growled to himself, 'you will pay for what you have put her through. So help me, you will pay.'

Closing his eyes slowly, and with Usagi still held tightly against him, he fell asleep.

Usagi awoke the next morning to the feel of an arm around her, and her back pressed up against something.

Her whole body tensed until she remembered that it wasn't Matt, would never me Matt again, and turning over, she smiled as she looked at Mamoru's sleeping face. 

'He looks so innocent' she mused to herself as she watched him sleep. 'Like a child, untouched by fears or doubts.'

Reaching out one hand, she softly touched his cheek, caressing it softly, smiling at the feel of his skin beneath her hand.

Pulling her hand back, she sat up and carefully moved his arm off of her before standing up and stretching. Walking to the closet, she pulled out some clothes and then walked to the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.

Stepping into the shower, she proceeded to wash her hair, and once she was done, turned the shower off. Grabbing a fluffy white towel, she dried her body off, and then stepped out of the shower, the towel wrapped around her body.

Walking to the counter, she picked up the hair dryer and began drying her hair. After twenty five minutes of drying and fixing her hair, she smiled at her reflection in the mirror.

Walking out of the bathroom, she walked over to the bed and leaned over Mamoru, letting her hair gently brush his nose.

Mamoru sneezed and opened his eyes.

"Usagi," he murmured with a smile. "What are you doing up so early?" Usagi laughed softly and bent down, brushing her lips over his softly.

"Well, sleepy, 


	14. The Truths of Love: Chapter fourteen

The Truths of Love: Chapter fourteen

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Never have, never will, so please don't sue me.

It had been almost a month since Usagi had gone to the aquarium with Ami and Makoto. And now the time for the trial was drawing near; indeed, only two days were left before they had to make their appearance.

Usagi spent most of those two days pacing and worrying, wondering if they had enough evidence, if Matt was going to be let free, if something would go wrong and she and Mamoru would be arrested for lying.

That thought stopped her in her tracks. What if it had all been a dream? What if none of it had really happened, and she was accusing an innocent man of doing all these things?

She approached Mamoru hesitantly with that concern the night before the trial.

"Mamo-chan," Usagi began quietly. "I need to ask you something."

Mamoru looked up from the book he was reading, and set it aside, pulling off his reading glasses.

"What is it, Usako?" he asked.

"Mamoru... was all of it a dream? Did any of it really happen, with Matt doing what he did to me...?"

Mamoru frowned and stood up, looking down at Usagi.

"What do you mean, 'Did it really happen'? Usagi... it did happen. And I'm sorry that it did, but you can't question yourself about it. And you can't question what he did, either. We both know what happened, and so does he, whether he chooses to admit it tomorrow or not. Yes, Usagi, it did happen. And no, Usagi, it was not a dream."

Usagi looked down, nodding her head slightly.

"Of course, Mamo-chan," she said softly. "I know it happened... I just... I don't know. I keep thinking of what's going to happen tomorrow. What if we don't have enough evidence? What if he gets away? What if--"

"Usagi, that's enough," Mamoru cut in. "You can't live your life purely by what ifs. You'll drive yourself crazy. What will happen will happen. Just leave it at that, alright?"

He knew he sounded a bit too harsh, but he had to get it across to her that what had happened hadn't been her fault. He thought they'd gotten it clear awhile ago, but obviously they hadn't.

Sighing, Usagi nodded and gave him a hug and a light peck on the cheek.

"I'm going to bed," she stated. "I need to sleep before we do this tomorrow... you should too, Mamo-chan."

Mamoru nodded his assent, realizing she was right. Picking up a bookmark from the end table, he put it in his book and set the book on the table, turning off the lamp and walking to the bedroom.

He quickly pulled on his silk pajamas and fell into bed beside Usagi, closing his eyes and falling asleep.

The next morning was pure and utter chaos. This basically meant that Usagi was flipping out, again.

"Minako, what should I wear?" Usagi wailed.

Mamoru rolled his eyes slightly, grinning faintly to himself. This was the fourth time in the past twenty minutes she'd asked the same question.

Minako and Rei had arrived early that morning to help soothe Usagi's nerves before the trial. Rei had brought herbal tea that would calm her down, but refused to give it to her until they left for the courtroom, much to the disappointment of Mamoru and Minako both.

"Usagi, don't worry about it. You eat and take your shower. I'll have the clothes picked out for you by then, alright?" Minako said.

"Minako, you're a life saver," Usagi said, her face brimming with gratitude as she dashed for the kitchen to make herself a quick breakfast.

Rei rolled her eyes.

"Poor Mamoru," she said aloud. "This must be what Usagi is always like in the morning."

Mamoru grinned as he heard Rei's comment.

"Actually," he corrected, "you can't even get her to move in the morning."

Minako and Rei took one look at his face and burst out laughing.

"You're serious, aren't you?" Minako asked in between gulps of air.

Mamoru grinned and nodded.

"One hundred percent serious."

Rei scoffed and Minako started laughing again as she headed to the bedroom to pick out Usagi's clothes.

Half an hour later, Usagi had eaten and showered, and true to Minako's word, the clothes had been lain out and Usagi had gotten dressed.

She was wearing a cerulean colored suit coat over an off white silk blouse, and long cerulean blue pants that clung to her curves. The look was both elegant and sophisticated. Her silvery blonde hair hung loose down her back, taken out of its regular two bun style. A little bit of blush and blue eye shadow complimenting her eyes was the only makeup she wore, and inch high blue heels completed the outfit.

Minako sat back and admired Usagi, nodding in satisfaction at the way she looked.

"Perfect. You look absolutely perfect," she said.

Mamoru looked up and felt his jaw drop open. She looked fabulous. Her eyes sparkled with unhidden excitement now, the nerves of earlier completely vanished.

"Let's do this," she said quietly. "Rei, if I could have that tea now, I'd be extremely grateful."

Rei nodded and handed her a cup half full of the herbal tea.

Drinking it down, Usagi grimaced with distaste.

"Couldn't it have been any sweeter, Rei? Geez," Usagi complained.

Rei rolled her eyes.

"It's an herbal concoction, smart one. It's not supposed to taste great, it's just supposed to get the job done as quickly as possible. It should kick in about five minutes from now, maybe sooner."

Usagi nodded, and then paused.

"Rei, I am grateful to you. Thank you for looking out for me and bringing this. And Minako, thank you for being there for me as well. I don't know what I would do if it weren't for you guys."

Turning to Mamoru, she smiled slightly.

"And Mamoru, I can't thank you enough for all that you have done for me. Words can't begin to express my gratitude to you. I only hope that one day I will be able to repay you for all you have done for me."

Usagi looked down at her watch, oblivious to the looks of love on the faces of her companions.

"We should get going," she said. "It's already 9:30, and the trial starts at 11:00 on the dot."

Mamoru nodded his head and held the door of the apartment open for the three women to walk from the room before shutting and locking the door behind him.

"Are we ready?" He asked Usagi.

"As ready as we'll ever be," she responded wryly. "Do you have the pictures?"

Mamoru nodded and patted his coat pocket, where the pictures were securely held.

"And do you have the doctor reports?" Mamoru asked.

Usagi nodded and held up the small brown leather briefcase Minako had brought for her. When Mamoru raised an eyebrow at it, she shrugged defensively.

"Minako said it would look more professional," she said haughtily.

Mamoru just grinned and shook his head.

"Whatever you say, Usako. Whatever you say."

As they walked down the stairs of the apartment, still bickering back and forth about the briefcase, Minako turned to Rei and raised an eyebrow.

"So, when are the wedding bells going to chime for those two do you think, hm?" Minako asked.

Rei smirked.

"Soon enough. He has the ring; it's only a matter of time before he pops the question."

Minako's eyes flew wide.

"He has the ring?!" she shrieked. "Rei, how do you know that?!"

Rei looked at the ground sheepishly, dragging her feet, reluctant to talk about it.

"I was in the bedroom, and there was one of his coats tossed on the floor. I went to pick it up and throw it in the hamper, and a box fell out of it. I was curious; I thought it might be more evidence for the case that they had put in the box, so... I opened it. And inside was a ring. Oh, Minako, it's beautiful!" Rei's eyes shone as she said that. "Usa-chan is going to be blown away when he asks the question. But, no more of that. We have to focus on the court case. Come on, let's go."

Minako huffed, but nodded her head, acknowledging the fact that Rei was right.

Rei and Minako jumped into Minako's little red convertible, and Mamoru and Usagi into Mamoru's own car.

The ride to the court room was silent for Usagi and Mamoru. As they pulled up, though, Mamoru turned to Usagi.

"Are you ready?" he asked softly.

Usagi nodded, swallowing.

"As ready as I'll ever be," she replied with a forced smile.

"Let's go, then, Usako. Let's get this over with."

Leaning over, he gave her the softest of kisses and then pulled back, opening the door of his car and walking around to the other side, opening the door for her.

Stepping out of the car, Usagi took a deep breath and looked up at Mamoru with a look that he was sure was supposed to be a grin, but came out as more of a grimace.

"Let's do it," she said.

Taking her hand, Mamoru led Usagi into the court house.

The inside of the court house was plain white marble, and as they walked, their footsteps echoed off of the walls. The building was two stories high, and the ceiling was dome shaped. Doors leading off to court rooms lined each of the hallways, and at the end of one hallway, a staircase led to the second story. Hard wooden chairs and benches, unadorned by cushions or pillows, lined the walls of the main room. In the center of the room was a desk where a woman sat, typing into her computer.

Walking over to the desk, Mamoru and Usagi stopped in front of it.

The woman looked up, her clear gray eyes shining with an inner intelligence.

"What can I do for you two?" She asked.

"We're here for the Tsukino versus LaClare case," Mamoru responded in a clear voice.

"Ah, yes," the woman replied, turning back to her computer. "You are in room 213. Take the stairs and it's the first room on the right. Judge Luna will be in there shortly. Mr. LaClare is already there."

"Thank you," Usagi said quietly.

Mamoru looked down at Usagi, and without saying a word gave her hand a little squeeze of reassurance.

"It'll be fine, Usako," he said softly. "Everything is going to work out. And once we're done here... well, there's something I need to ask you. But it'll wait."

Usagi tilted her head to one side and regarded him curiously for a moment.

"You could just ask me now, you know. It can't be anything too big, right?"

Mamoru just smiled.

"Later," he said. "I want your full attention, and I don't have it right now. Anyways, let's get going."

Walking down the hall, Mamoru and Usagi were just about to go up the stairs when the front door burst open and Minako and Rei burst in.

"Sorry we're late!" Minako said breathlessly, running to catch up with Usagi and Mamoru. "We got stuck behind a red light that took forever!"

"Yeah," Rei agreed. "You guys were lucky. We were right behind you, and then the light turned red... you guys sped through that yellow light like there was no tomorrow."

Mamoru grinned sheepishly.

"We had to get here," he said apologetically. "Sorry we couldn't wait."

Minako waved a hand carelessly.

"Don't worry about it," she said. "Anyways, you two go in first. We'll be in after a few minutes. Is that alright?"

Usagi nodded and, taking a last deep breath and letting go of Mamoru's hands, she walked to the door of the court room and pulled it open, her face steeled.

The room was quite small, and made of wood, which was very different from the reception room that was made of marble. Long wooden benches filled the room, facing the front where a large desk stood, most likely, Usagi thought, where the judge would sit. The witness stands were more of table placed beside each other, with a space in between where the people could walk to the front. The juror was a tall man with long silvery white hair who stood beside the judge's stand.

Walking up to the small, waist high wall that separated the watchers from the people involved in the case, Usagi found the latch and pulled the small door open, waiting for Mamoru to come in before closing it once more. Gulping, Usagi looked up, and straight into the eyes of Matt LaClare.

Biting back a scream, Usagi quickly hurried over to her stand, avoiding Matt's looks at all costs.

Looking straight at the judge's stand, Usagi stood and waited for the judge to come.

'There she is,' he thought to himself, a small smile stealing across his face. 'The not-so-angelic girl. The one I made mine.'

The smile became sad as Matt thought again of where he was.

'Why'd you bring me here, Usagi? What did I do to you but make you mortal, like everyone else on this planet? Why was that so wrong? I just wanted you to be mine forever...' Matt thought sadly and looked away.

His lips narrowed into a thin line as he looked back up.

'She deserved it!' He thought angrily. 'Strutting around like she did. Like she was better than everyone else. She deserved what she got. Yes, that's it. She deserved it.'

Matt's eyes turned cold, the slightly crazed look in them more pronounced.

'And now everyone will realize how cruel and teasing angels can be,' he thought to himself with a smirk.

Looking up at the judge's stand, Matt stood and waited quietly for the judge to enter, and the court case to begin.

The door to the court room opened, and a hush fell over the crowd. A tall thin woman with long, curly black hair and dark brown eyes walked into the room, wearing the traditional robes of a judge. She walked purposefully to the judge's stand and took her place behind it. The bailiff turned his back to her and raised his hand for silence, which was completely unnecessary as not a person in the room was speaking.

"All rise, all rise. Judge Luna Tomokazu has entered the room."

The judge... Luna... looked around the room, her eyes sparkling slightly and showing signs of high intelligence.

"You may be seated," she said in a clear voice. "Let the case of Tsukino versus LaClare commence."

And with a bang of the gavel, the case began.


	15. The Truths of Love: Chapter fifteen

The Truths of Love: Chapter fifteen

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Never have, never will, so please don't sue me.

A/N: Hey guys. Sorry the last chapter was so short and took so long to get posted. Hopefully this one won't be short or take too long to post. But with school and the butt load of homework I get each night, you just never know. Anyways, thank you for all your support. I hope you enjoy this chapter of it; only a few more to go! Thanks again; I love you all!

"You may be seated," Judge Luna Tomokazu said in a clear voice. "Let the case of Tsukino versus LaClare commence."

And with a bang of the gavel, the case began.

"Ms. Tsukino, let's begin by you telling me what happened a month and two weeks ago," she said.

Usagi nodded, and taking a deep breath, looked to Mamoru for support.

Mamoru smiled softly, encouraging her to begin.

"Well," Usagi began, her voice trembling slightly, "it began back in July. I had gone to work one day when I saw him. I was attracted to him," she turned red here, and looked down at the table top.

"Ms. Tsukino, please continue," Luna said.

Usagi nodded and went on.

"We got together soon after we met, and for awhile, everything was fine. He was kind and sweet, loving and caring. I don't know what happened, what made him change. But one day.... he hit me. We had gone out to dinner, and when we came home, he hit me," she whispered.

"Usagi, what led up to him hitting you?" Luna asked.

Usagi sighed.

"At first, before he ever hit me, he told me things that... that I didn't think much of at the time. That my friends didn't want or need me, and that I was fat. All kinds of things like that. And when I went to Mamoru to ask him if he knew if Matt had ever done like that to anyone before, Matt somehow found out about it. He hit me because I'd gone to Mamoru... he said something about how I didn't like the way he was treating me, so I'd gone to someone to make it stop. And then he... he..." Usagi's voice trailed off.

It had been so long since it had happened, and she'd thought she'd shed all the tears. Apparently she hadn't. Tears trickled down her cheeks as she took a deep breath.

"He kicked me to the floor, and continued to kick and hit me," she went on quietly, averting her eyes from the judges. "Then... then he picked me up and brought me to the bedroom, where he... he raped me," she finished. "The moment he fell asleep that night, I got up and dressed as fast as I could, and I left. I just kept running until I couldn't run anymore, and when I was finally too tired to run, I just crawled under a bush and fell asleep. That's how Mamoru found me. He took me home and cared for me ever since."

Luna's eyes turned to Mamoru.

"I take it you are Mamoru?" She asked.

Mamoru nodded slightly.

"I'm Mamoru Chiba, your honor," he confirmed.

"Mr. Chiba, tell me what happened when you found her."

"I found her under a bush in Tokyo Park. She was whimpering and unconscious when I found her, so I picked her up. She had been missing for a week, and no one, not her friends nor I, had any idea of where she was. So when I found her, I was worried. I took her home and when I realized her clothes where soaked, as they should have been; it was pouring rain; I went to take them off. Your honor, she was completely covered with bruises. The first thing I did was take pictures... of the bruises, I mean. Then I set about treating them. I've been working at a hospital for awhile, so I knew what to do."

Luna nodded.

"Do you have the pictures with you, Mr. Chiba?" She asked.

"I do," Mamoru replied, pulling out the pictures from the breast pocket of his jacket.

"Good. Artemis, can you please take the pictures and bring them to me?"

The bailiff, Artemis, walked over and held out his hand, which Mamoru promptly put the pictures into. Turning, Artemis walked over to the judge's stand, handing the pictures to Luna, who took out a small pair of glasses and put them on.

Her nose wrinkled slightly in disgust as she looked at the pictures.

"This is terrible," she said.

Mamoru nodded his head.

"Yes, your honor, it is. They were completely covering her body, as I said, and it took me awhile to dress them all. Anyways, I did that, and for the next few days, she stayed with me, recovering."

Luna nodded slightly and turned her penetrating gaze back on Usagi.

"You said there were more incidents after that. Tell me about them."

Usagi risked a glance over at Matt, who had so far been silent. Her eyes widened slightly as she took in the smirk on his face, the crazed look in his eyes, and the way he was standing. Gulping, she looked back at the judge.

"One night, Mamoru took me out for dinner with my friends. We had a great time that night; everything went well. We were out for a few hours, and then finally we went home. When we got there, the place had been trashed. The furniture had been overturned, pillows slashed with a knife and feathers strewn all over the place. All the rooms had been trashed. In the bedroom, though, there was red paint on the walls. All it said was 'I'm watching you.' I made Mamoru promise not to call the police; I told him we'd clean up the place and forget any of it had ever happened. And so we began to clean up. And then... then I found the picture."

Usagi's eyes clouded with tears.

"My parents and brother were killed in a plane accident a month before I met Matt. I had told him about that when we were first getting to know each other, and he's comforted me, helped me get over it. The picture I had with me at Mamoru's house was a picture of me with my family. But... he had gotten to it and... and..." Usagi stopped, covering her mouth.

"Usagi, do you have the picture with you?" Luna asked.

Usagi nodded and pulled it out.

"Artemis?"

Again Artemis walked over to Usagi and Mamoru, and Usagi handed him the picture in the frame. Artemis visibly recoiled as he looked down at it, and his mouth set in a line, he brought it to Luna.

Luna's eyes widened fractionally at the sight of what had been done to the picture. Setting it down, she motioned for Usagi to go on.

"At that point, Mamoru told me about a phone call he'd received earlier that day. Matt had called, and apparently threatened both me and Mamoru. Mamoru wouldn't tell me what he said, but he said that both of us had been threatened. Mamoru called the police," Usagi continued. "And they called to say that they'd caught Matt. So Mamoru went to work, and everything was fine. This was a Friday, and Mamoru works only half days on Friday's. So anyway, it's was about half an hour before he usually got home and the door opened. It was Matt; he'd escaped. He came over to me and hit me three more times, telling me that it was because I'd called the police on him, and for several other reasons. Finally he knocked me off the couch and I hit my head on the corner of the end table, causing a gash in my head that would later make me go unconscious. Matt was about to rape me again when Mamoru came in... I think he got off work earlier than usual, but I'm not quite certain. Once Mamoru was there, I blacked out. I do know that he got Matt of me, though, but that's about all."

Luna nodded slightly.

"Mamoru, what exactly was it that was said on the phone?" Luna inquired.

Mamoru hesitated for a moment, turning to look at Usagi. The words were still imprinted in his mind; they always would be. But right now, he couldn't say them. Usagi was being put through too much at the moment, and this would send her over the edge.

"Your honor, if you will allow me, I will write it down. But I can't say this right now. I'm very sorry, but it's much too gruesome."

Luna's eyes narrowed at the nerve of this man, but as she looked over at the girl, who was shaking slightly as she stood, her eyes softened and she nodded.

"Alright. Do that, then."

Mamoru nodded and pulling out a pen, he quickly wrote the conversation on a napkin he had in his pocket. Scribbling quickly, and keeping the sheet away from Usagi's prying eyes, he finished the words and handed the napkin to Artemis.

Artemis glanced at the napkin and read it, his face showing disdain, and he shot a dirty look at Matt.

Handing the napkin to Luna, he stood back, crossing his arms across his chest. Luna quickly read the napkin, and her face blanched slightly. Nodding her understanding of why he wouldn't say it in front of Usagi, she then turned back to the girl.

"How long were you in the hospital for?" she asked.

Usagi turned to Mamoru.

"She was in a coma for about a day and a half. They wouldn't let her leave for another day after that, so in total about two and a half days."

"Do you have the doctor's reports, Ms. Tsukino?" Luna asked.

Usagi nodded and pulled them out of the briefcase she had, amidst the small chuckles from the audience and even from Luna. Usagi turned a bright shade of red and shot a glare at Minako, who shrugged her shoulders and mouthed an apology.

Sighing, Usagi took out the reports and handed them to Artemis, who took them to Luna.

Luna read over them once more, and nodded once.

"Alright. What you said seems to be about right, Mr. Chiba, about two and a half days. Now, did anything else happen?"

Usagi and Mamoru both shook their heads, and Luna nodded slightly.

"Alright," she said turning to Matt, a look of loathing on her face. "Let's hear your side of the story."

Matt smiled slightly, turning the look on his face slightly maniacal.

"Like Usagi said, we met at her office. We got together after awhile, and things went well. But she was such an angel. Too much of one, and she was such a tease with it, too. I wanted her to be normal; because how can you love an angel? I wanted to make her mine for good. So... I took her. And it's not like she didn't want it. She'd been asking for it for a long time. Maybe not with words, but with actions. So I made her mortal, like everyone else."

Matt's words were causing everyone to cringe back, but he was so far gone he didn't notice it at all. His face turned sad as he continued.

"My angel ran away from me, though. I couldn't find her anywhere, and when I called Mamoru to ask if he'd seen her, he lied to me and said no. When I found out that he had seen her, and not only seen her, but was keeping her for himself, it made me angry. We had a little confrontation in a park one day. Mamoru didn't like what I had to say and he hit me."

Matt paused and looked around, his face calm, making him look somewhat normal.

"After that day, I planned on how to get her back. I called Mamoru again and told him I wanted my angel back. He refused, so I decided to scare him a little bit. I went to the apartment and had a little... party."

Here he grinned at the memory, the furniture being overturned, the feel of ripping through the pillows, the way the paint had dripped down as he'd put his message in the bedroom. And best of all, what he had done to Usagi's picture. Which brought him to the thought of the plane; but he wasn't about to admit to the part he'd had in that, so he pushed that thought from his mind and returned to the present.

"So, I left a little note for the both of them, and left."

He turned to Usagi, his eyes sad.

"I told you not to call the police on me, angel," he said softly. "So I broke out and decided to remind you of that little fact. I only wanted you to be normal like everyone else, Usagi. That's all," he said. "Anyways, I never meant to put you in the hospital. If only you hadn't moved..." Matt shrugged.

"After that, I was taken by the police again, and brought here today. That's my story."

There was silence in the court room for a little over a minute, and then all at once everyone began talking. Makoto, Minako, Ami and Rei leapt to their feet, shouting at Matt, cursing him. Other people were doing the same thing, some calling out profanities and others calling out comforting things to Usagi and Mamoru.

Finally Luna raised her gavel and banged it down three times.

"Silence!" she bellowed at the top of her lungs.

Instantly the court room fell silent, though everyone in the room was twitching slightly at what Matt had just said. All of them wanted to see him found guilty and put away, and most likely he would be.

"Mr. LaClare, do you deny what was said that you did?" Luna asked coldly.

Matt shrugged.

"I told you what happened. I just wanted Usagi to be normal, like everyone else. How is that a crime? I just brought her down to earth. And rape is such a strong word... I just made her mine is all."

"Mr. LaClare, do you deny what was said or not?" Luna asked again, this time the ice in her voice evident.

Matt smirked. "No, I don't."

Again, pandemonium took hold of the court room, and even Luna sat there in shock for a minute before once more raising her gavel and banging it hard against the table.

"Silence! Silence in the court!" She yelled, but to no avail.

Matt sat back, folding his arms across his chest, smirking at what he'd caused.

'Way to go, Matt buddy,' a sarcastic voice in his mind said. 'Now you've done it. You'll be put away for sure now. Back into that cold, dark cell, with no one there to stay with you, no one to sympathize with you. Oh, yes, you did really well.'

Matt's face suddenly changed into a look of horror.

"No," he murmured. "No, that can't be right."

'Oh, but it is,' the voice in his mind went on. 'And you have no one to blame but yourself. Way to go, buddy. Really, just fabulous.'

Matt shook his head, trying to clear the voice from his head.

Finally, after five minutes, the court room finally settled down.

Luna sighed, wiping sweat from her brow.

"There will be a fifteen minute intermission as the jury and I decide what to do now. Artemis, I'm sorry, but you have to stay here and make sure that he doesn't leave."

Artemis nodded his head, his silvery hair shining slightly.

Luna stood up, as did the seven jury members who had sat silent and unnoticed through out the entire case, and they filed out of the room, leaving the room silent. As soon as they were out, however, the crowd in the room erupted into conversation once more.

People had to restrain themselves form leaping at Matt and wringing his neck, to keep from running to Usagi to comfort the girl, who was crying openly now.

Minako, Makoto, Ami and Rei walked to the wall, and Mamoru nodded to Artemis, letting him know that these four were Usagi's friends, and thus allowed to talk to her. Still Artemis hesitated, knowing he wasn't supposed to let anyone in. Finally, though, he made his decision and let the four in.

"Five minutes," he said quietly. "You have five minutes."

The girls flashed him a thankful smile and hurried over to Usagi, taking her in their arms in a group hug.

"Don't worry Usagi; he's going to be put away now. He didn't deny what he did; he's as good as gone."

"But for how long?" Usagi muttered, brushing tears away. "As soon as he gets out, he's going to come after me. And what if they don't put him away? What if they didn't believe me? What if they side with him?"

Rei scoffed.

"Do you really think that's going to happen, Usagi? The guy is a basket case! He's not safe to be out on the streets. Look at him!"

Usagi turned to look, and her mouth nearly fell open.

Matt was standing with his arms wrapped around him, shaking his head and muttering fiercely to himself. Indeed, he did look pathetic. But just then, he stopped shaking and looked up, catching Usagi's eyes. The look in his eyes froze Usagi to the core. His eyes were crazed, yes, but underneath was a deep, shimmering pain, and an even deeper look of loss and... dare she say it... fear.

Usagi bit her lip. She'd known the side of Matt that no one else had; he hadn't always been so cruel. She didn't know what had changed him, but it had to be something big. And this... he didn't deserve all this. He looked like a child right now, lost and confused.

Breaking away from the girls, she steeled her resolve and slowly walked over to Matt.

Matt looked up at her, the pain obvious in his eyes.

"Matt," Usagi whispered softly. "I'm sorry. I can't say that I'm sorry for bringing you here... you hurt me badly. But I am sorry for you. I don't know what happened to you, or what made you change. But I'm sorry you did. Whatever happened hurt you badly... I wish you hadn't changed, Matt. I wish you had stayed the way you were when I met you."

"Usagi," Matt muttered, his eyes wild. "I'm sorry. I just wanted you to be mine. To be as human as I am. You are such an angel, and all I wanted was for you to be human. It's all I wanted."

With that, he sunk back into himself, and Usagi lightly touched his shoulder, before walking back over to her side of the room.

As she'd spoken with Matt, the whole room had fallen silent, and she didn't realize it for a few moments until she looked up and found everyone staring at her. She looked down as a tear dripped down her face.

Finally, the door to the court room opened, and the jury members and Luna walked back into the room. The jury took their seat at their table once more, and Luna went to the front of the room.

"Matt LaClare, you have been found guilt of abuse, rape and vandalism. You are hereby sentenced to fifteen years of prison."

Luna raised her gavel to bang down for a final time.

"This case is--"

At that moment, the door to the courtroom burst open and a short, balding man rushed into the room, waving something in the air.

"Wait!" He called out, panting for breath and leaning against one of the benches in the room to catch his breath.

Luna looked up, a frown marring her features.

"Who are you, and what do you think you are doing, interrupting my court case?" She demanded.

"My apologies, your honor. I'm Detective Dylan Bayes. And I believe that I have something here that will put Mr. LaClare into prison for a lot longer than you have in mind."


	16. The Truths of Love: Chapter sixteen

The Truths of Love: Chapter sixteen

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Never have, never will, so please don't sue me.

"Who are you, and what do you think you are doing, interrupting my court case?" Judge Luna Tomokazu demanded.

"My apologies, your honor. I'm Detective Dylan Bayes. And I believe that I have something here that will put Mr. LaClare into prison for a lot longer than you have in mind."

"Oh is that so?" Luna asked, raising one perfect eyebrow curiously.

Nodding, Detective Bayes walked up to the judge's stand.

"Do you remember that plane crash about a month or so ago?" He asked the judge.

Luna nodded warily.

"Usagi's family was on it," Bayes said.

Usagi's eyes flew wide with shock at the mention of the plane crash that had killed her family. What was he talking about? What did this have to do with anything?

"We thought at the time and for a month afterwards that it was an accident; faulty engineering or some such. Now we know otherwise. That plane crash wasn't accidental: it was planned."

The audience in the court room gaped, and Usagi's eyes flew wide open.

Matt's jaw dropped as he looked at this newcomer.

'How did he find out?!' Matt thought wildly. 'What did he find?'

"Your honor, when we were searching Matt LaClare's house for evidence of what he'd done to Ms. Tsukino, we stumbled over evidence, yes, but not the kind we thought we'd find. I'd like you to look at this."

Bayes fished in his coat pocket, pulling out a series of papers, some folded and some not, some of them in envelopes and others torn from notebooks.

Frowning, Luna took the papers and began to shuffle through them. Her eyes widened in shock at what she was looking at.

Picking up a letter, she began to read.

LaClare:

The plan is going as we wanted it. The information you sent us for the plane has been sent to the other members of the team, and we already have someone willing to make the plan come to reality. July 2nd will be the date that the plane will go down. Good luck with your part of it.

Nicholson

Luna looked up, her eyes blazing.

"You made the plane crash." It was a statement, not a question.

Matt shot her a defiant look.

"And if I did? All you have there is a bunch of papers. Nothing more."

"On the contrary," Bayes said. "What we have here is evidence. We put it all together, LaClare. Everything from the start to the finish. Your plan, I must admit, was brilliant. How did you get the bomb past security is what I want to know."

Matt grinned, the maniacal look on his face returning.

"That was a stroke of genius. I came up with the plan. You see, the bomb was no bigger than a battery of a watch. And that's how we got it past. We put it onto someone's watch, and sent him onto the plane. Of course, he was so drugged he had no idea what he was doing."

Matt shrugged.

"The alarm didn't go off because it looked just like a battery. When the guy got on the plane, he pushed the button on the watch and kaboom! It blew up."

Matt burst into laughter, rocking back and forth on his heels, having finally snapped.

Usagi fell onto the floor in a dead faint.

"Usagi? Usagi!" Mamoru fell to the floor next to her, gathering her in his arms, as the courtroom exploded into action.

No longer were people able to restrain themselves; hey threw themselves at the wall, trying to get past Artemis and other police officers who had appeared almost as if by magic.

A few people made it past the officers and to Matt, and they proceeded to jump on him, hitting punching, kicking and biting, anything they could do to damage the bastard who had crashed the plane.

Finally they were restrained and pushed outside of the wall.

Luna leaned back into her chair, breathing heavily.

"Matt LaClare, for this you are sentenced to death. There are no questions asked, nothing more to be said. We have the evidence against you. You are put on death row. This case is dismissed."

Ami, Minako, Makoto, Rei and Mamoru sat stunned, watching the play of events.

"He caused the plane to crash...?" Ami whispered. "He caused Usagi's family to be killed? How can that be? And he knew her parents were on it... she told him so. That... that...creep!"

Ami stood up, tears filling her cerulean colored eyes, heading over to give Matt a piece of her mind.

Makoto, Mamoru, Minako and Rei each grabbed a hold of her, holding back the normally placid, calm woman who now looked ready to spit fire.

"He caused her so much pain!" Ami cried. "He caused her parents to be killed, and then he caused her pain by raping and abusing her... he doesn't deserve to live! He's not even human! He's a monster! A terrible, no good, awful, inhuman monster!"

"Ami, calm down," Minako said softly. "It's going to be okay... he's not going to get away with it. Just calm down now."

Mamoru stood, his eyes blazing, and turned to Matt.

"Why did you do it, Matt?" He asked. "Why did you crash the plane?"

Matt turned crazed eyes on Mamoru.

"There was someone on it that needed to die, of course. She hurt me in more ways than you could ever imagine. So... I came up with a way to kill her."

"And why did other people go along with you?" Luna asked.

"Because there were people on the plane that they detested. They needed to get rid of business people who opposed them, and I needed to get rid of her. So we planned together, and came up with a way to get rid of all those who needed to be gotten rid of. And it worked fabulously. No one survived!"

Matt began to cackle, his eyes rolling crazily around in his head.

"And then I came to Japan, to get away from the United States. That's when I met Usagi, and I thought everything would be better. I thought she'd be the one to help me get over the pain of what Gina did to me. Usagi was perfect, an angel from above sent to me to help me. And then I found out that her family was on the plane that I had crashed. It changed everything for me, and though she was an angel, I had to make her see that I was not. So I made her mortal in hopes that she could understand what I did. What I had to do. That's all."

His story finished, he wrapped his arms around himself, gibbering unintelligibly. The people in the room stared at him dumbfounded.

Finally Artemis stood, grabbing Matt by the arms and pulling them behind his back, promptly hand cuffing him.

"Alright, Matt, let's go. Show's over, people," he called over his shoulder.

Luna sank back warily in her seat, not believing how this case had turned out.

Usagi was just coming around, and looked up with dazed eyes.

"What happened?" she asked softly.

Her eyes flew around the circle of her friends and narrowed when they saw the tear streaks on Ami's cheeks.

"Ami? What happened? Why are you crying?" Usagi asked, confused.

Looking around at her surroundings, it suddenly all flew back to her: the abuse and the rape, the court room, and...

"Oh, my god," she gasped suddenly. "He crashed the plane. He caused my parents to be killed. And then when I told him...he comforted me?"

Usagi shook her head, her eyes welling up with confusion as she fought to remember that time.

Her eyes grew wide then.

"Yes..." she whispered. "It makes sense... he started to change after that. That day, of course, he was kind and comforting. But after that day was when he began to change. Could it have had something to do with...?"

She stopped and looked at her friends again, grimacing as she saw every one of them with a raised eyebrow.

"Usako, what are you talking about?" Mamoru asked gently.

Usagi shook her head once more.

"It doesn't matter, Mamoru. All that matters is... I understand now...and I wish I didn't." She looked at the ground and then slowly stood.

"Mamoru, can you take me home now, please? I need... I need to sleep..." she said softly.

Ami, Rei, Makoto and Minako all turned worried eyes on Mamoru. He glanced at the four of them and gave them a brief nod, indicating everything would be alright.

"Of course I will, Usagi. Come on; let's get you out of here," he said, offering her his arm for support.

She took it gratefully, and before they left, turned back to the four girls who were left staring after them.

"Thank you for coming, you guys. I'm sorry it turned out the way it did..." Her eyes shone with pain. "And I'm sorry for causing you to have to come here in the first place. I'll talk to you later, alright?"

And without a backwards glance she turned and, still holding onto Mamoru's arm, walked out of the court room, leaving the four girl's glancing at each other, confused.

"Poor Usagi..." Minako said softly. "She's so confused right now... and so lost, and alone..."

Rei shook her head emphatically.

"No, guys. Mamoru will take care of her. She's never alone anymore... she had him. Or he has her. Which ever way you choose to look at it. And it may be better that they have each other now..." Her voice trailed off as she looked at the doors which were closed now, cutting the view off from where Usagi and Mamoru had walked out.

'I just hope it's enough,' she thought idly to herself.

The ride back to Mamoru's apartment was silent, each of the occupants deep in their own thoughts.

Finally Usagi turned to Mamoru, her eyes blank.

"Mamo-chan, you said before that you had a question you wanted to ask me. What was it?" She asked quietly.

Glancing at the subdued blonde, Mamoru shook his head slightly and faced forward again, unable to look into the eyes of the woman he loved when they looked as they did now.

"It can wait, Usagi. I'm not going to ask it now. Not after...after what just happened. But know that when the time is right, I will ask you. Alright?"

Usagi nodded once and turned to look out the window again.

'He killed my family,' she thought to herself, her eyes welling with tears. 'Matt caused the death of my family. And then he tried to comfort me by saying it would all be alright; that he would protect me. He lied to me.'

The tears in her eyes spilled over her lids, running down her pale cheeks. Soon her body was convulsed in shuddering sobs. When Mamoru finally pulled into the garage of his apartment and parked the car, he turned to her, unbuckling her seatbelt and pulling her into his arms.

"Hush, Usako. It's alright. Everything's going to be alright. You're going to be fine. I promise you."

Usagi shook her head vigorously.

"Don't promise me anything!" She spat viciously. "He promised me all sorts of things, and look where I ended up!"

Mamoru recoiled from the wrath in her voice, and the words she spoke. His eyes filled with sorrow and he slowly let go of the girl, who continued to tremble for a time.

"Alright, Usagi," he said, his tone emotionless. "I won't promise you anything. But do know when I tell you something, that unlike him, I will keep my word. And know that you are and always will be safe with me."

With those words spoken he opened the door of the car and stepped out, closing the door behind him.

Usagi looked up from where she was, watching his retreating back, and her heart nearly broke.

"Mamoru..." she whispered. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean it... I know you're not like him... come back...please..."

Forcing herself up, she pushed the her door open and nearly fell out, stumbling over to Mamoru and taking his hand, her eyes wild with panic.

"Mamoru I didn't mean it," she said. "I'm sorry. I...he...you...I'm sorry," she concluded lamely, looking down.

Mamoru looked down at the blonde holding onto his hand, and his face relaxed.

"I know, Usako. I know. And it's alright. Come on, let's get you inside. You need to sleep."

Usagi nodded and raised one hand to warily rub the excess tears from her eyes.

"What's come over me?" She murmured softly. "Why am I acting this way?"

Mamoru looked over at her curiously, one eyebrow raised.

"Lashing out at people, you mean? Acting as though you've lost everything in the world? As though you've lost the ability to trust anyone's actions and or words? Oh, I don't know. Maybe because you have."

"But not you," she said quietly. "Please, Mamoru. I know I asked you...told you, actually, not to promise me anything... but please, promise that you won't leave me, too. Please."

Her eyes bored into his, and his heart nearly broke at the expression of loss and anguish that her eyes portrayed.

"Never, Usagi. I will always be here for you. Until the end of time, I swear it."

Usagi smiled slightly and linked her fingers slightly with his.

Mamoru looked down at her. Her hand was so tiny inside of his, tiny and frail like a bird. He could have crushed it if he had wished to. Of course, he never would. The thought of harming one hair on her head made his stomach roil in disgust.

Shaking his head to clear that thought, and still holding Usagi's hand, he led her into the apartment, and into the bedroom, where she promptly fell into bed and her eyes closed. Within only a few minutes her breathing evened out and Mamoru knew she was asleep.

Shaking his head, he walked out into the den and collapsed onto the couch, his head in his hands.

Picking up the phone he quickly dialed a number.

After three rings there was a click.

"Hello?"

"Motoki, its Mamoru."

"Mamoru!" Motoki exclaimed. "What happened at the court case? No one told me a thing; I wasn't able to come because I had to work. Tell me what happened."

Mamoru sighed.

"He killed her parents, Motoki. He caused the plane with them on it to crash."

There was a sharp intake of breath from the other side of the line.

"He did what?" Came Motoki's incredulous voice.

"You heard me," Mamoru said grimly. "I don't know the exact details. But Detective Bayes found a whole bunch of records at LaClare's place, including letters and other things. He caused the plane to crash, Motoki. He was put on death row."

There was silence.

"How's Usagi taking it?" Motoki asked finally.

"She's sleeping right now. I don't know what's going to happen, Motoki, but I'm worried about her. I have to take care of her, 'Toki. I have to make sure she remains alright."

Motoki frowned slightly, knowing Mamoru couldn't see it.

"Well, of course. And you will, after all, she is living with you."

Mamoru sighed.

"Motoki, I want more than that. I... I love her, Motoki. I want to make sure she's always going to be alright. Always."

Another sharp intake of breath came.

"You're going to ask her...?" Andrew asked in amazement.

"Not now. She couldn't handle it right now," he amended hastily. "But yes, I am. When she's ready for it, I'm going to. Please, Motoki, don't say anything to her or the girls about it. Alright? You have to promise me you won't."

"Alright, alright," Motoki grumbled. "Just let me know when you do. And what her answer is, alright?"

Mamoru let out a sigh of relief.

"You'll be the first to know," he promised.

There was a loud crash in the background from Motoki's end of the phone, followed by a groan.

"Mamoru, I have to go. I don't know what happened, but it didn't sound good."

Mamoru laughed lightly.

"No, it didn't. Go on and take care of it; I'll talk to you later."

"Of course. Take care, Mamoru, and tell Usagi I'm thinking of her."

"Will do. See ya, 'Toki."

"Bye, Mamoru."

Hanging up the phone, Mamoru sat back and relaxed for the first time that day.

"Ah, Motoki," he sighed softly to himself, "You do know how to cheer me up."

Closing his eyes, Mamoru fell into a light sleep.


	17. The Truths of Love: Chapter seventeen

The Truths of Love: Chapter seventeen

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Never have, never will, so please don't sue me.

A/N: Well, guys, here's another chapter. Thank you all for your lovely reviews... they make me feel all warm and tingly inside. Heh... heh... anyways. Thanks again, and keep on with the reviews.

Laughter was all she could hear. Cackling, maniacal laughter, coming from all around her.

"Usagi, I'm sorry," the blonde haired man at her door said, his face furrowed with sorrow. "There was an accident. Your family was killed when the plane they were on crashed."

"I'm sorry for the loss of your family, Usagi," Matt said.

"You crashed the plane, Matt."

"She had to be turned mortal."

"You're sentenced to death..."

Usagi sat bolt upright in the bed, tears leaking down her face and sweat trickling down her back.

'Why?' she asked herself for what was probably the millionth time. 'Why me? What did I do to deserve this? Who did I wrong?'

She grabbed the blanket and pulled it tighter around her, sobbing quietly.

"It's not fair," she sobbed quietly. "It's just not fair. Why did they have to be on that flight? Why couldn't they have been delayed or... or something! It's not fair!"

Her heart wrenching cry tore through the apartment building, and Mamoru sat up quickly from where he dozed on the couch.

"Usagi," he muttered as he rushed to the bedroom, only to find the girl curled into a ball on the bed, sobbing uncontrollably.

Walking to the bed, he scooped the girl into his arms, marveling at how tiny she was, how frail and light. Pushing her hair back from her face, he whispered soothing nothings into her ear, waiting for her to calm down.

"Mamoru, I don't understand," she whispered, her face buried into his chest. "Why did he do it? Why did he have to kill them?"

Mamoru shook his head softly, running his hand slowly through her long blonde hair.

"I don't know, Usako," he said softly. "He was crazy... but he won't be able to get to you anymore. And I'll keep you safe from everything from now on. Let's sleep now, and in the morning, things will look brighter. Alright?"

Usagi nodded, her tears finally stemming to a stop.

"Alright, Mamo-chan," she said softly, laying back down on the bed and closing her eyes.

Mamoru looked down at the body on his bed and shook his head softly.

'Matt, you stupid bastard. For what you have done to Usagi, and for all the pain you've caused her, you deserve to die.'

With that thought in his mind, Mamoru lay beside Usagi and closed his eyes, falling asleep.

Two weeks later...

Usagi laughed brightly at something Rei said to her, her eyes alive with laughter.

"Rei, how could you!" she exclaimed.

Rei grinned wickedly and took a small sip of her soda.

"It was quite easy, actually. Yuuchiro just doesn't know when I'm taking advantage of him. He's such a love sick little puppy... I pity the guy."

Minako smirked.

"Rei, you know what's happening, don't you? You're beginning to fall in love with Yuuchiro!"

Rei turned an interesting shade of red as Minako concluded, and the four girls with her burst into laughter. Usagi swiped tears from her eyes as she sat back, catching her breath.

"Rei, that was priceless. The look on your face..." Usagi couldn't help it, and burst into laughter once more, and the Ami, Minako and Makoto, looking at the expression of barely suppressed rage on Rei's face, followed suit.

"I am not falling in love with Yuuchiro," she muttered angrily, pushing her long, raven black hair over her shoulder. "He's the one in love with me, remember? It's not the other way around."

Makoto smirked and waved one hand, her emerald green eyes dancing with laughter.

"It's only a matter of time, Rei. Then the wedding bells will be ringing, and we'll be standing there telling you we told you so."

Minako nodded her head in agreement, and Usagi just smirked at Rei. Even Ami couldn't help smiling slightly at Rei's outraged face.

"Why, the nerve of you--" At that moment her words were cut off as Usagi's phone rang.

Looking down, Usagi gave an apologetic grimace.

"Sorry guys, I have to go. Mamoru wants to take me out to dinner; that's why I didn't have anything to eat. He told me to 'eat light' because he's taking me out to a fancy dinner tonight." She shrugged lightly. "Anyways, I have to go get ready now, so I'll talk to you later."

The four girls nodded and they all said their goodbyes. As soon as Usagi had left, Minako and Rei turned knowing looks on each other.

"So, tonight's going to be the night, eh, Rei?" Minako asked the raven haired girl.

Rei nodded with a grin.

"So it would seem," she replied.

Seeing the confused looks on Ami and Makoto's faces, Rei quickly filled them in on the ring that she'd found in Mamoru's coat pocket.

"So," she finished, "I think tonight will be the night he asks her to marry him."

Makoto sighed dreamily, resting her cheek in her hand.

"That's so romantic," she crooned softly. "Oh, I wish someone would love me like Mamoru loves Usagi."

Looking out the window, Ami smiled softly to herself.

'Good luck, Usagi-chan,' she thought to herself. 'After all you've been through, you deserve to be happy.'

Meanwhile...

Usagi sat in the bathroom of Mamoru's apartment, getting ready for the dinner that night. As she thought of the past two weeks, a small smile lifted the corner of her cheeks.

After the fateful day in court when Matt had been sentenced to death, Mamoru had spent every one of his days with Usagi, comforting her and just talking with her. They'd gotten to know each other so well over the past two weeks, she reflected, and now she couldn't imagine life without him.

A light tap at the door interrupted her thoughts.

"Usako, are you just about ready? We have to be going; the dinner reservation is in forty five minutes, and it takes about half an hour to get there, depending on traffic."

Giving herself one last quick glance over in the mirror, Usagi nodded in satisfaction.

Standing up, she walked to the bathroom door and pulled it open.

"Alright, alright already, jeesh. You need to be more patient," Usagi complained. "It was your idea to take me somewhere fancy, after all, and I did have to get ready."

As soon as she stepped out of the bathroom, Mamoru's mouth fell open. She looked like a vision sent from above.

Usagi's hair was hanging loosely down her back, tiny curls at the end. Tendrils hung around her face, framing it slightly. Her makeup consisted of a light foundation and blush, light pink lipstick, and a slight shade of blue eye shadow.

Her dress was a floor length, velvet evening gown of deep midnight blue, clinging to and showing off every curve of her body. On her feet were high heeled slippers of the same midnight color, and hanging around her neck on a small silver chain was a small sapphire, completing the outfit.

The overall look was astonishing, and it was all Mamoru could do to stop himself from drooling. Shutting his mouth and taking a firm hold of his emotions, he turned back to her, a smile on his face.

"Shall we go?" He asked her.

At the same time Mamoru had been taking in her outfit, Usagi had been gawking at Mamoru.

He was dressed in a fancy black tuxedo with silver lining, and a white dress shirt beneath the coat. His ebony hair was swept off of his face and gelled down. Completing the outfit were black dress shoes.

Usagi smiled and nodded slightly, taking the arm Mamoru held out to her.

"Indeed we shall," she replied.

The two of them walked down to the car arm in arm, chatting and laughing quietly to themselves.

Mamoru held the car door open for Usagi, who smiled gratefully and stepped into the car, making sure that her dress was fully inside before pulling the door closed. Mamoru walked around to the other side of the car and opened his door, getting in and closing it too. Pulling out the keys, he started the car and pulled out of the parking spot, heading towards Chez Salantiah, the most expensive, exclusive place within all of Tokyo.

Mamoru watched as Usagi's face went through a variety of emotions. First there was surprise, then there was amazement, and finally delight.

"So this is what you meant by fancy, eh, Mamo-chan?" She asked with a laugh, her eyes shining with delight.

Grinning, Mamoru nodded as he thought of the surprise he had waiting for her in the restaurant. But now wasn't the time to think of it; it would happen soon enough.

Stepping out of the car, he walked to her side and opened the door for her, holding out his arm as she stepped out of the car.

"Let's go," he said with a smile.

Usagi returned the smile and took the arm he offered, and together the two of them headed towards the restaurant.

Holding open the door of the restaurant, Mamoru let Usagi walk in first, and then he himself stepped inside. The place was gorgeous.

Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, reflecting rainbow colored light all around the place. The walls were a soft cream color, with gold leaves and foliage painted around. The floor was a plush cream colors, like the walls, and as Usagi and Mamoru walked over to be seated, their feet seemed to sink into the floor.

"Welcome to Chez Salantiah. How may I help you?" The person behind the podium asked.

"Yes, reservation for two under Chiba," Mamoru replied, sending a small smile at Usagi.

"Ah yes, right this way." Stepping out from behind the podium, he led the two to a table in the corner of the restaurant. The tables were spread out, and a deep mahogany wood. Simple gold cloth tablecloths were draped on top of the tables. Holding out Usagi's chair, he allowed her to sit down, and then pushed the chair in.

"Your waiter shall be with you in a minute," the man said, and bowing, he turned and walked back to his post at the podium.

Usagi looked at the table in amazement, shaking her head. The silver wear gleamed silver, and even the plates rims were edged in silver. The glasses were more like crystal goblets, and filled with sparkling water. In the center of the table, a single candle stood burning.

"Mamoru, this is fabulous," Usagi breathed. "But... it's so expensive. Why would you want to spend so much money on me?"

Mamoru smiled softly.

"Because I love you, Usako. And you deserve the best."

Usagi turned a deep shade of red, and averted her eyes from his. At that moment, the waiter came over and handed them two menus.

Usagi opened the menu, and her eyes skimmed it, widening in delight at all the different choices she could choose from.

Mamoru opened his own menu and briefly looked through it, before setting it down.

"I'd like the chicken teriyaki croissant, please," he said.

The waiter nodded and whipped out a pad of paper and a pen, jotting it down.

"And for the lady?" he asked.

"Ah..." Usagi looked puzzled for a minute, and then nodded her head in decision. "I'll take the soup in a bread bowl, please."

The waiter nodded slightly. "What kind of soup would you like?"

Usagi glanced up at the waiter with a smile.

"What would you suggest?" She asked him.

The waiter blushed slightly as she looked at him.

"I'd suggest the wild pea soup, but that's just me."

Usagi nodded slightly.

"I'll take your suggestion. Wild pea soup in a bread bowl, please."

The waiter nodded and quickly wrote down her order.

"And drinks?"

"I'll have white wine, please," Mamoru said.

"Water is fine for me, thanks," Usagi said.

The waiter nodded his head slightly and turned around, walking away from the table.

Usagi and Mamoru made light conversation as they waited for their meals to come, and when they finally did, Mamoru chuckled at the excitement on Usagi's face.

Under the table, he gently took one of her hands.

"Usako, you're drooling," he whispered, and smirked when her face turned red.

Usagi mock glared at the man across from her and shook her head, but at the same time discreetly brought her hand up and wiped away any drool that might have been there.

Smirking, Mamoru shook his head and looked down at his food, picking it up and beginning to eat. The next few minutes were silent as the two ate their food, relishing the company of each other.

Finally, the food was done, and the water took the trays away.

Mamoru grinned; now was the time.

"And for dessert, chocolate mousse cake," the waiter announced.

Usagi's eyes lit up with delight.

"Ooo, that's my favorite!" She squealed slightly.

Mamoru grinned slightly at her reaction, and at the surprise she had coming.

The waiter brought out two trays, and placed one before Usagi and the other before Mamoru, pulling the top off of them both and bowing before walking away.

Mamoru smiled softly, his heart fluttering in his chest.

"Dig in, Usako," he said softly.

Usagi blinked, but she smiled and nodded, picking up her fork and taking a bite of the cake. Suddenly she stopped and frowned.

"There's something in this," she muttered, reaching up to her mouth. "I bit something."

Mamoru smiled as he watched her pull the object out... a gold ring, with a small diamond on top of it. His smile widened as he watched her eyes open in surprise, and her mouth formed an 'o'.

Getting down onto one knee, Mamoru took Usagi's hand in his own.

"Usako. I've known you for only a few months, but I already know... that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I know this is hard for you... You've been through so much recently. But I want to be there for you, and I want you to always be able to turn to me if something happens. Usagi... will you marry me?"

Usagi's eyes filled with tears, her mouth unable to form any words. Speechless, she slipped the ring onto her finger, all the answer that Mamoru needed.

His smile just about split his face, it was so big.

"I love you, Usako. I always will."

"And... and I love you, Mamoru. Thank you... for everything." She wiped her eyes to stop the tears from flowing, but gave up with a small laugh, and instead threw her arms around Mamoru, hugging him tightly.

Mamoru grinned, wrapping her into his embrace and holding her for awhile.

Finally Usagi pulled back and went to her own seat, sitting down and just staring at the ring. The diamond was in the shape of a small heart, and the light from the chandeliers made it cast small rainbow lights around the table. Usagi just shook her head in wonder and looked up at Mamoru, her eyes alight with love.

Mamoru smiled softly.

"Should we go, Usako?" He asked softly.

Usagi smiled and nodded, standing up. Mamoru stood as well and offered his arm to her once more, which she promptly took, and after paying the bill, the two of them walked out of the restaurant.

Mamoru wrapped his arm around his fiancée as the two of them walked to his car.

"Mamoru, why do you want to marry me?" Usagi asked quietly.

Mamoru looked down at the woman he was walking with and smiled slightly.

"It's quite easy, Usako. I love you. I know in my heart that it's the right thing to do; no one will ever make me feel as complete as you do. And I want to protect you from everything and everyone that seeks to hurt you. That's all that I know, but it's enough."

Usagi smiled softly and laid her head on his shoulder as the two walked. Soon enough they were back at the car, and driving back to his apartment.

"So, what are we going to do tomorrow?" Mamoru asked as the two of them got ready for bed.

Usagi's face fell at the question.

"Oh, Mamoru, I promised the girls I'd spend the day with them. And... I have to start planning the wedding. Even though we don't know when it's going to be... or where... or how... or..."

Usagi was cut off by the touch of Mamoru's lips on hers.

"It's alright, Usako. We'll make it work. You have fun with the girls tomorrow, and I'll see you tomorrow night, alright?"

Usagi smiled and nodded as the tow got into bed.

"Alright, Mamoru. That sounds good. Goodnight, Mamo-chan."

"Goodnight, Usako."

And with that, Mamoru leaned over and turned the lamp on the table by his bed off, and the two fell asleep.

A/N: Alright, so this chapter was really bad. I'm sorry. And I'm very sorry it took so long to get out. By the way, I need your help. I don't know what to do about Matt. If you guys want more, I can have him escape before he's killed, and come after Usagi. Or I can have Usagi and Mamoru get married and live happily ever after. Or I can have Usagi and Mamoru get married, and then Matt gets out and comes after them. Tell me what you think I should do, because I'm coming to the end of the story, and if you want more, then I need more ideas. Also, I have begun working on my next story, but I'm not sure where it's going, or how it's going to turn out. I don't know when chapter one will be posted, either, but I hope you like that as well. And now, before I do anything, I want to thank all of my lovely editors. You guys have been with me from the beginning, and thank you for all you've done for me, and all the support you've given me. I'm sorry this is long, but oh well. Thanks again for all of your support!


	18. The Truths of Love: Chapter eighteen

The Truths of Love: Chapter eighteen

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Never have, never will, so please don't sue me.

A/N: Alright, so here's eighteen. I thought that this should just be a light, fun chapter after all the serious ones we've had recently. Ah, and by the way. Just to let you know now, I think I said this earlier, but oh well. I finally made the musical at school, (yay!) so there might not be an update for awhile. I'll do my best to get them out, because I know that you all want them so badly. I apologize, though, if there is a lack in them. Again, this is because of the musical, which will be over on the twentieth of November. And once again, I want to thank all of my lovely editors, and even more importantly, my lovely reviewers. You all mean so much to me. Keep the reviews going, I appreciate every last one of them! So, with all that said, here's chapter eighteen.

"Oh, Usagi," Minako sighed for what seemed like the tenth time in the past five minutes. "You're so lucky! Let me see the ring again, please? And tell us the story again!"

It had been four weeks since Mamoru had proposed to Usagi, and she'd finally had the time to get away from work and from Mamoru to just have a girl's day out.

Rei rolled her eyes, and Minako screeched and scooted aside as a shoe came flying at her head.

"Minako, we've heard the story ten times now, and all at your request. And you have that...memory...thing... where after hearing something just once you can know it backwards and forwards. You must know this story so well, you could repeat it in your sleep," Rei moaned.

Minako grumbled and gingerly touched her arm, where the shoe had landed.

"Geez, Rei. You didn't have to throw your shoe at me. You could have just said what was on your mind," she complained.

Makoto smirked and lightly thwacked Minako in the side of the head.

"She did tell you, Minako. The last nine times you asked for the story."

Minako grimaced and pulled her hand away, examining her arm closely.

"Yes, well, she should have said it louder. And Rei, you should really think about joining baseball or something. That was hard enough to kill!"

Rei smirked and blew her bangs out of her eyes.

"I've been practicing," she taunted.

Usagi sat back, watching her friends with a small smile on her face. Her mind, meanwhile, was elsewhere.

Ever since the day HE had been sentenced to death, she'd kept thinking about him. Yes, she knew he deserved it, but was she sinking to his level in allowing him to be killed?

She was snapped out of her reverie when she heard her name being called.

"Usagi? Usagi, are you in there?" Rei asked, snapping her fingers in front of Usagi's face.

Usagi grimaced and flinched back from the fingers.

"Yes, yes. What can I do for you, Ms. Rei?" She asked her friend, her tone teasing.

Rei's cheeks puffed out in indignation at the implied insult.

"Usagi Tsukino, are you making fun of me?" She demanded, standing above Usagi and towering over her, her hands on her hips.

Usagi just smirked up at the scowling figure.

"And if I am? What are you going to do about it?" She asked, sticking her tongue out at the outraged figure.

Rei glanced around, and her eyes lighted upon the nearest object, which happened to be a pillow. Grinning wickedly, she picked it up.

"Then I will have to beat you into submission until you apologize profusely for making fun of me, your best friend," she replied, and proceeded to smack the astonished Usagi across the face with the feather pillow.

Pretty soon, Usagi gathered her wits and grabbed a pillow soon, and an all out pillow fight broke out. In the end, feathers were flying everywhere, and all five of the girls were covered with them, laughing and hitting each other with pillows until they all collapsed onto the floor.

"So, Usagi?" Rei asked breathlessly. "Do you surrender? Or do I have to hit you again?"

"Me?" Usagi asked indignantly. "If I recall correctly, I do believe it is you who should be the one to surrender, as I am the one that knocked you down first."

Rei scowled and smacked Usagi once more across the face, just for good measure.

"Hey!" Usagi shrieked. "What was that for?!"

Rei smirked.

"Just because."

"Can't you two ever stop arguing?" Ami asked timidly from her spot on the floor.

"No," Makoto, Minako, Rei and Usagi answered in unison.

Rei and Usagi glanced at Makoto and Minako.

"Did she ask you two?" Rei asked

"Yeah, because I believe I heard 'you two.' And it looks to me like you two aren't arguing," Usagi added.

Minako raised an eyebrow in feigned amazement.

"Oh my. Did Rei and Usagi just agree on something? Ami, Makoto, quickly! Alert the headlines! This is a big day."

Rei rolled her eyes as Ami and Makoto giggled softly. Usagi stretched out and then sat up, looking around at the feathers strewn around the room.

"I don't pity the person who cleans this up," she said with a smirk. "So. That being said, I should get going."

Standing up, she headed to the door of the bedroom when a voice held her back.

"Oh no you don't, Usagi Tsukino. You were in on this, and you're going to help us clean it up," Rei commanded.

"But Rei," Usagi whined, "you started it!"

"Yes, and we all finished it," Rei said in a tone that brooked no arguments.

"She's right, Usagi," Ami piped up softly. "It's only fair that we all stay to help clean up."

Usagi groaned and stomped her feet.

"That's just like you, Ami, always being the self righteous one."

Ami's face turned an interesting shade of red at this, and she attempted to stutter something out in her own defense, but gave up with a sigh.

Minako and Makoto watched all of this with a slight grin.

Finally Minako sat up.

"Alright, guys. We do need to start cleaning up, and then we need to get to the real reason Usagi came over here."

"That's right!" Rei said, her eyes snapping with delight.

"Bridesmaid dresses!" The four girls, excluding Usagi, cried out in unison.

Usagi smiled lightly. That was indeed the real reason why she'd come over. However, one person was missing.

"I think we should wait for Naru to get here before we start, though. She already had to miss out on our pillow fight because of the work, and I don't want her to miss out having a choice in what she wears."

"Aw, concerned for me, Usa-chan?" A voice asked from behind her.

"Naru!" Usagi squealed, throwing her arms around the petite girl.

Naru looked around the feathery room, her eyes twinkling with laughter.

"What happened here?" she asked. "Looks like someone plucked a duck."

"Or a goose," Rei commented wryly. "Those are goose feathers. We had a major pillow fight, and the pillows kind of... broke."

Naru burst into laughter at the sight of the four girls on the floor, and Usagi standing up, each one of them covered in feathers.

Usagi got a wicked gleam in her eyes.

"Yeah, Naru. Actually, we were just about to clean up. You came just in time to help us. Aren't you the lucky one?"

Naru's eyes flew wide open and she began to back up and out of the doorway as the other four girls stood up and the five began to advance on her.

"Uh uh, no way are you getting me to help clean up this mess!" Naru shrieked. "I didn't have any part of it, and I won't be subject to helping you clean it!"

Five minutes later...

"I can't believe you got me to help you clean this up," Naru grumbled, holding out the dust pan and dumping another load of feathers into the black garbage bag Ami was holding.

Usagi smirked.

"I always was good at getting my way," she boasted.

Naru just rolled her eyes and threw a handful of feathers at her.

Usagi spluttered as feathers flew into her mouth and was just about to throw a handful back when a hand caught her arm.

"Hey. Act like the grown ups you are!" Makoto said. "I'm not about to start this clean up all over again because of a couple of children."

Usagi's eyes widened in mock outrage.

"Excuse me, Makoto, but who's the one getting married, and the one not?" She asked indignantly.

Makoto snorted indelicately.

"Then act the mature about-to-be-married woman," she said.

"Oh, I'll be your about-to-be-married woman alright," Usagi muttered as she threw a handful of feathers directly into Makoto's face.

Makoto's eyes widened and she grabbed a handful of feathers of her own.

"You did not just do that!" Makoto screeched as she threw her handful of feathers at Usagi.

"You guys!" Rei wailed as feathers began to fly once more. "We just started to--"

At that moment a handful of feathers hit her full in the face, and her protest was cut off.

"Alright, that does it," she muttered, and soon enough a full out feather war ensued.

After half an hour, the six girls lay laughing on the floor, the garbage bag forgotten and empty once more.

"Well, we got far," Ami commented wryly, picking up a feather and wrinkling her nose as she threw it, as forcefully as you can throw a feather, into the garbage bag.

Usagi smirked and sat up.

"Alright, let's clean up this time. We need to get to the dresses soon, because Mamoru and I are going out later tonight."

Naru sighed dreamily.

"You're so lucky, Usagi. Mamoru is so handsome, too."

Usagi grinned and wiggled her eyebrows.

"Yeah, and he's rich, too. You should see the apartment he lives in!"

Ami gasped slightly.

"Usagi!" She cried in despair. "Please don't tell me that that's the only reason you're marrying him!"

Usagi scoffed.

"Please, Ami. I'm offended. Although, it doesn't hurt that he is rich..."

She laughed as Ami elbowed her none too gently in the side.

"Relax, Ami, I'm only kidding. I love Mamoru." Her voice trailed off slightly, and her eyes became distant. "I really, really love him."

"Usagi... Usagi, snap out of it," Rei said.

"Oh, sorry," Usagi said, blinking her eyes a few times. "I guess my mind wandered for a bit."

"A bit?" Minako asked with a smirk. "It's been forty five minutes. We cleaned the feathers up without you, and you can thank Ami for that. She decided that we shouldn't wake you up."

Usagi shot Ami a grateful look. Ami smiled and nodded her head discreetly before going back to cleaning up a few excess feathers.

"Alright, you guys, I brought over some magazines filled with dresses to look at. And remember: you can choose one style of dress but a completely different color. It all works."

"And what about your wedding dress, Usagi?" Naru asked.

"Yeah. Have you even started looking for one?" Minako chimed in.

Usagi shook her head slightly.

"Not yet. The wedding isn't for another seven months. And I want to wait until the last minute before picking my dress. After all, you never know when a new style is coming out that you'll like better than the one you bought."

"Oh yes," Rei smirked. "And knowing you, you always want to keep your options open, right?"

"Well of course! I'm glad you know me so well, Rei." Usagi replied nonchalantly.

Minako rolled her eyes slightly.

"Alright, so can we look at these magazines already? Usagi, you should be happy to give them out if you have a date with Mamoru."

"Ah, that's right!" Usagi exclaimed and grabbed at the back pack she'd brought with her. Opening it up, she began rummaging around inside of it, frowning and biting her lower lip.

"I know I put them in here," she muttered to herself. "Ah! Found them!"

Pulling back, she held out a bunch of Bridal magazines, setting them on the floor.

"And if I have to go soon, I'll leave them here, and you guys can look at them until we meet next... probably tomorrow or the next day."

Naru, Makoto, Minako, Ami and Rei exchanged a look.

"Geez, Usagi, you actually thought about this, and planned it," Rei teased.

Usagi puffed up indignantly.

"And what is that supposed to mean? Are you trying to imply that I can't plan anything? For your information, Rei Hino, I am planning this entire wedding on my own! Mamoru wants nothing to do with it, and I don't have a mother who..." Her voice trailed off and her eyes welled up with tears.

Even after all of this time, it still hurt, and knowing that Matt had been the cause of her family's death was even worse.

"I don't have a mother to help me. Or a father to walk me down the aisle. Or a brother to watch me being married. I lost all of that," she continued softly, turning away and brushing away the tears that ran down her cheeks.

Rei's eyes flickered and she quickly got up, running to Usagi and wrapping her friend in a tight hug.

"I didn't mean it, Usa. I'm sorry." Rei said quietly.

Usagi just nodded and brushed the last few tears away, forced a bright smile, and turned around.

"Anyways, we're wasting time. Let's get moving on this," she declared.

The other four girls sat silently, watching Rei and Usagi for the moment, before noticing Usagi's odd stare.

"Well?" Usagi demanded. "Aren't we going to start? I don't have all day."

Immediately Ami, Makoto, Minako and Naru burst into action, each of them snatching at the closest Bridal magazine.

After a few minutes, things were settling down, and the girls were each absorbed in their own magazine.

"Oh, look at this one!" Minako exclaimed, thrusting out the magazine for the rest of the girls to look at.

The dress was a soft orange in color, and pretty plain in appearance. It hung to the floor, and the bodice was tight, before the rest of the gown sort of flowed out. The dress was sleeveless, and only small spaghetti straps held it up. On the chest, a few beads created a small flower decoration. There was no back of the dress to speak of.

Usagi wrinkled her nose and shook her head.

"It's too plain," she announced, and Rei, Ami, Makoto and Naru nodded their heads in agreement.

"Alright," Minako said huffily as she took the magazine back.

Again silence fell over the room as the six girls looked through magazines.

Suddenly Naru shrieked and pointed at one of the dresses.

"What about this one?" She asked excitedly.

This time, the dress was a golden yellow, and strapless. As with Minako's choice dress, it was cut to fit the upper body perfectly. The back had strings tying the dress together. Beadwork ran along the top inch of the dress, all the way to the back where it ended at the ties.

Again, Usagi shook her head slightly, and again, the other four girls nodded in agreement with Usagi.

"I'm sorry, Naru. It's just not the one I want," Usagi said.

Naru sighed regretfully, and once more the girls began to look through magazines, discarding ones they'd looked through for new ones.

"Oh, look at this one," Makoto said with a small smile.

The dress was a light, olive green in color. Small spaghetti straps held the dress up. At the waist, a small green flower held a bunch of fabric up, pulling the dress slightly up at the knee, giving it an elegant, yet casual look, more like what someone would wear to a prom.

Usagi wrinkled her nose slightly in distaste, and Makoto grinned.

"Well, that's what I'll have at my wedding, then, Usagi, and you can't argue with it." Makoto declared.

"Oh?" Usagi raised an eyebrow. "I didn't hear you were getting married. Who's the guy?"

Makoto blushed a deep shade of red. "There is no one yet. But when I do get married, that's what you're going to be wearing."

Usagi smirked.

"Right, Makoto, whatever you say. As soon as you meet the guy you'll be marrying, let me know, alright? I want to meet him."

Makoto rolled her eyes, and the girls dove back into the magazines.

After awhile, Rei gasped and pointed at one.

"This is it!" She announced. "Usagi, this is the one you'll be getting. I just know it."

"Oh yeah?" Usagi raised an eyebrow. "Let me see it."

As soon as Usagi saw it, her eyebrows shot up.

"This is it!" She breathed out quietly. "Rei, you were right!"

The dress was light lavender in color. Whereas Minako and Naru had pointed out dresses that only accentuated the upper body, this accentuated the upper body, and the waist before curving out slightly at the bottom. The fabric looked to be made of silk. Inch thick, beaded straps held the dress up. The back consisted of an 'x' of beaded material, and then a few buttons.

Minako, Ami, Naru, Usagi and Makoto were all nodding their heads, and Rei stood there, her arms crossed, smirking.

"I knew I'd find it," she boasted.

"Rei, don't start," Usagi warned, grabbing for a pillow. "Or there will be another pillow fight, and I'll be leaving before you pick it up."

Rei just rolled her eyes.

"So, we're in agreement then?" She asked.

Usagi nodded slightly.

"That's the one I want for my wedding," she agreed.

"Uh, Usagi?" Ami asked timidly.

Usagi turned to face the girl with a questioning look, and Ami turned a light shade of red.

"I was just wondering. I was thinking it might be neat if we all had different colors for the dresses, instead of the same color." Seeing the thoughtful look on Usagi's face, Ami quickly amended, "Unless, of course, you want us to all be wearing the same color. It is your wedding after all."

"No, no, Ami. That's a great idea. It'd be really cool," Usagi said after a moment. "Yeah, each of you can pick your own color. Of course, we'd have to see if they have the dress in that color, and even if they don't, we'll ask for it to be custom made."

Rei and Makoto were nodding, Naru looked thoughtful, and Minako was already jumping up and down.

"I call gold!" She cried out.

Usagi laughed and pulled out a pad of paper.

"Alright, tell me what colors you want and I'll talk to the person tonight."

Fifteen minutes later, Usagi put the pad of paper into her bag, along with all of the magazines.

"Alright, I should get going. And Naru, thanks for taking so long in deciding what color you wanted," she added with a light grin to take the sting out of the words. "I'll let you know what they say tomorrow, alright?"

The five girls nodded, and with a last farewell, Usagi turned and left the room.


	19. The Truths of Love: Chapter nineteen

The Truths of Love: Chapter nineteen

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Never have, never will, so please don't sue me.

Usagi sighed and flipped another page of the report she was reading. She looked up at the clock, and when she couldn't find it, she frowned and sat up.

'Ah, there it is,' she thought to herself with a wry smirk. 'Under a pile of dirty clothes.'

Standing up, she stretched slightly, allowing herself to enjoy the feel of her back cracking for a moment, before going over and picking the clothes up off of the clock.

'7:30,' she thought to herself with a small smile. 'Mamoru should be home in about two hours or so. Wait until I show him the bridesmaid dresses!'

She chuckled slightly to herself as she thought about it.

'Not that he'll care all that much,' she concluded. 'But that's alright.'

Picking up the remote control, she set the report down and turned the television on, flipping through the channels.

"Oh, that's right!" She exclaimed aloud. "The Cosby show is on!"

Settling down, she began to watch it, quickly becoming engaged in it, when suddenly the screen flashed.

"We interrupt this program to bring you a special news bulletin." A lady dressed in a slate gray suit with a solemn face appeared on the screen, holding sheets in front of her and reading them.

"We have just been informed that the convict Matt LaClare has broken free from prison, where he was to be put to death within the next few months. We are told that he is armed and extremely dangerous. If anyone has any clues to his whereabouts, call this number: 555-9283. "

The woman kept on speaking, but Usagi wasn't listening anymore. Her face had drained of all color, and she began to tremble.

"He's out... he got out. How did he escape?" Her words stumbled over themselves as she reached for the phone, brushing it off of the table where it sat and jumping as it crashed to the floor. The back cover flew off, and the batteries came out.

Usagi was nearly in tears, her hands shaking so badly that she almost couldn't put the phone back together. Finally, though, she managed to get the batteries in correctly, and put the cover back onto it.

Turning the phone over, she turned it on. It was hard to dial, though, because her eyes were so filled with tears. Somehow, though, she did it, and pressed the phone up to her ear.

After a few rings, there was a click, and then the voice she needed to hear answered.

"Chiba Mamoru speaking."

"M-Mamoru. He's out."

There was a pause.

"What did you say?" His tone was tightly under control, but Usagi could tell he was gripping the phone.

"Mamoru, he escaped. It's all over the news. Please, Mamoru... come home... I need you. I'm scared..."

Mamoru wiped a cold sweat off of his forehead and nodded.

"Alright, love. I'll be there in twenty minutes. In the meantime... lock all the doors and windows. Call the girls, too, and invite them over. At least one of them should be able to come. And whatever you do, _do not_ open the door unless you know it's me or the girls. Is that understood?"

Usagi gulped, nodding her head. Then, realizing he couldn't see her, she answered shakily, "Yes, Mamoru. I promise."

"Good. I'll see you in twenty minutes, then."

Usagi hung up the phone, and taking a deep breath, quickly called the first person she could think of: Rei.

"Hino residence, Rei speaking."

"Rei... its Usagi," she began, her voice shaking.

Rei's eyes narrowed at the sound of her voice.

"Usagi, what is it, what's wrong?"

"Rei, he got out. He's loose."

Rei's eyes flew wide open and she gripped the phone tighter, her voice hoarse.

"How... how do you know?"

"It's all over the news. Rei, can you come over? I called Mamoru, and he'll be here in about twenty minutes, he said. But... I don't want to be alone. I know it's not for long, but can you come over? I'm calling the other girls, too. Please, Rei. It would mean a lot to me."

Rei was already on her feet, pulling off her Shinto robes and shrugging into a sweater and tugging up some pants.

"I'll be there in five minutes. See you then."

With a click, she was gone.

Usagi sighed, and put her head in her hands for a minute, and shrieked as the phone rang.

Picking it up with trembling hands, she slowly pressed it to her ear.

"H-hello?" She answered.

"Usagi, is that you?" Minako's voice demanded on the other side of the phone.

Relaxing, Usagi allowed a small smile on her face.

"Yes, Minako, it's me."

"I'm on my way over. I was in the car, listening to the radio when I heard about it. I'm picking up Makoto on the way; we'll be there in about five minutes. Oof! Red light, gotta go, bye!"

Usagi chuckled slightly and hung up the phone, dialing once more.

"Mizuno household, Ami here."

"Ami, it's Usagi."

"Usagi, oh it's so good to hear from you. Look, I heard about...well...him. Do you want anything? Anything I can do for you? I wasn't sure if I should come over or not; I know you're at Mamoru's place, I only live two minutes from there. Should I come over?"

Usagi smiled slightly.

"Ami, that's why I called. Minako, Makoto and Rei are on their way, I just need you to come as well. Does that work for you?"

Ami smiled slightly to herself.

"Of course, Usa. I'll be there in about three minutes. See ya."

Smiling, Usagi hung up the phone and sat down on the couch to wait for her friends. Soon, the doorbell rang and Usagi shot upright in her seat, staring in panic at the door.

"Usagi, it's me." Ami's voice came from the other side of the door.

Usagi sighed and stood, walking to the door and unlocking it, letting the petite blue haired girl in.

Once she was in, Ami smiled slightly and gently hugged Usagi to her.

"Don't worry, Usa. He won't get to you again, I promise. After all, he doesn't even know where you are!"

Usagi smiled gratefully at the girl.

"Come on, sit down. Do you want anything to drink? I'm sorry I called you here, but... I just don't want to be alone."

Ami nodded her head in understanding and was about to reply when the phone rang.

Usagi's brow furrowed for a minute.

"Oh, that's probably Mamoru."

Reaching over, she grabbed the phone and pressed it to her ear once more.

"Hello?"

A heavy breathing came from the other side of the phone.

Usagi's palms became clammy and she began to shake.

"Who is this?" She tried to sound demanding, but instead her voice came out as more of a squeak.

The voice on the other side of the phone just laughed darkly.

"I'm coming for you, angel," a voice rasped harshly. "You won't escape from me this time."

Then there was a click, and the dial tone came on.

The phone dropped from Usagi's limp hands, and she fell back onto the seat, her eyes wide, and her entire body shaking.

"Usagi? Usagi, what's wrong?" Ami demanded.

"Ami. You were wrong," Usagi whispered. "He knows I'm here. And he's coming for me."

At that moment, there was a knock on the door, and both girls cried out slightly, Usagi clinging onto Ami.

"Usagi, Ami, it's me, Rei!" Rei called. "Let me in."

Ami stood and walked to the door, looking through the eyehole to see an irritated Rei standing outside, tapping her foot impatiently.

Ami relaxed slightly and pulled the door open, and Rei came barging in, her face beet red.

"What is with you guys?" She asked angrily. "I knocked, and you both screamed. I could understand if it was Usagi screaming after what's happened but..."

Suddenly her voice trailed off as she looked back and forth between Ami, who was shaking her head, her eyes wide, and Usagi, who was incredibly pale and shaking, her eyes not quite focused.

Walking over to the girl, Rei placed a hand lightly on her shoulder. Usagi's eyes flew open, and she opened her mouth to scream, when Ami rushed over.

"Usagi, it's me!" Rei said.

Usagi looked up at the raven haired girl, and a bit of recognition flew into her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Rei." She said simply.

Rei's eyes narrowed and she turned to Ami, demanding an explanation.

Ami sighed and motioned for Rei to come with her into the kitchen. Nodding slightly, Rei followed her.

"Ami, what is going on? I knew she'd be at least a little out of it when she heard he was loose, but this? It's insane!"

Ami shook her head, her face serious.

"Rei, you don't understand. The reason we were both so... uptight when you came was because, just before you knocked, he called. He knows she's here, Rei, and he's coming to get her. At least, that's what he told her."

Rei's face had drained of color once more as she took in this new news.

"But...how?" She whispered. "How does he know that she's here? Did someone tell him she was here? And if so...who among us would do such a thing?"

They were silent for a moment, and then Ami shook her head forcefully.

"We don't know how it is that he found out she was here. Maybe it was that wedding announcement we put in the paper. Maybe someone gave it to him and he saw it, and figured that they'd be living together. Or maybe someone did mention it to him. There are so many possibilities as to what could have happened. But I seriously doubt any of us would betray Usagi like that."

Rei pondered this for a moment and then nodded her head in acknowledgement.

"I suppose you're right, Ami. Let's go back to Usagi."

Walking back into the room, Rei glanced at the television, where the Cosby Show was still playing.

"Oh, Usagi, look! The Cosby Show is on!" Rei said as she plopped down on the couch beside Usagi.

Usagi's eyes flashed with interest for a moment and she glanced at the television screen. Rei watched Usagi from the corner of her eye as Usagi's face lost some of its tension as she watched the show, and Rei relaxed when she saw Usagi start to giggle.

A knock at the door interrupted the show and Ami jumped up to let the last of the girls in.

Minako came barreling through the door with Makoto right behind her, and stopped at the sight of Usagi laughing at the show she was watching. Confused, she turned to Ami ands raised a questioning eyebrow.

Ami shrugged slightly in answer.

"She's doing a lot better now then when I first got here," Ami said softly. "And after I got here... he called her, Minako. He knows she's here."

Makoto's eyes narrowed and she slammed her fist into her other hand.

"You see?" She said through gritted teeth. "You should have let me beaten him into a pulp the first time he got to her. But no, you just had to hold me back."

Minako rolled her eyes and lightly swatted at Makoto's shoulder.

"Pull yourself together, Mako," she said. "It wouldn't have done any good, and he'd still be after her. You and I both know it."

Makoto sighed and hung her head in defeat, her auburn hair, still in its usual ponytail, hanging into her face. With an irritable grimace, she flipped the ponytail back right and nodded.

"Alright. Let's cheer Usagi up, at least until Mamoru gets home, alright? That shouldn't be very long, though."

Ami grinned slightly and nodded her head in the direction of Usagi, who had at some point broken out into peals of laughter at the show.

Glancing at the clock, Minako rolled her eyes with a sigh.

"Let me guess, The Cosby Show, right?" She asked with a small smile.

Ami nodded her head, a small smile lingering on her lips.

"You've got it," she answered.

"Well, it'll be over shortly," Minako said quietly, "and we'd best figure out what we're going to do to keep her cheerful."

"Whatever you do, do not bring up his name or him at all," Makoto said softly. "We don't want her going into a panic."

Minako glared at Makoto.

"I know that, baka," she hissed. "I wasn't going to say anything about him, anyways."

Makoto raised an eyebrow and leaned against the wall.

"Alright, Minako. If you say so."

At that moment, the ending credits of the Cosby Show began to play, and Usagi glanced up and noticed Makoto and Minako.

"Ah, Minako, Makoto! I'm so sorry that I didn't greet you before... you must think me terribly rude now, eh?"

"Oh yes, terribly," Minako mocked her long time friend, and Usagi rolled her eyes, and Minako shrieked as a pillow came hurling at her head.

"Geez, Usagi," Minako complained. "How long have you been practicing that throw? It gets better every time you chuck... something at me!"

Usagi smiled proudly and crossed her arms.

"I practice just so I can hit you dead on, Minako-chan. And it's paying off... all those long nights that I've stayed up, aiming and throwing...aiming and throwing..."

Her eyes took on a pretend far off look, and she laughed as a pillow connected with the side of her head.

"Do shut up, Usagi," Minako grumbled. "The last thing I need is to be teased by you."

Ami watched the interplay between the two girls, smiling slightly as she noticed how Usagi seemed to be a bit better off.

Usagi, on the other hand, was hiding everything she felt behind a wall she had learned to build up the first few times Matt had gotten to her. However, she'd gotten good at hiding the fact that she was hiding her feelings. It was another one of those things she'd practiced.

Glancing up through her eyelashes, she smiled a little to herself as she looked at each one of her friends in turn.

She knew she wasn't a bother to them; they'd said she wasn't, and she believed them. But she didn't want to trouble them by being so scared, uptight, and nervous now that Matt had escaped.

Matt... just the name alone was enough to cause her to shiver, and her eyes to fill with dread.

Seeing the dramatic change that had come over Usagi, the other four girls knew instantly what she was thinking of, and cast desperate looks at one another.

"Usagi, why don't we go out for ice cream?" Ami threw out into the silence. "Motoki would love to see you, I'm sure of it. And we can have Mamoru meet us down at the Crown Arcade and Café, alright?"

Usagi looked up and nodded her head, her eyes bright at the mention of ice cream.

Minako, Makoto, Ami and Rei all let out breaths they'd never known they'd been holding as they saw this new change cross her face. Minako shook her head with a wry grin.

"Ice cream does cheer you up, doesn't it, Usagi?" she asked the blonde haired girl.

"You know it," Usagi replied as she went and grabbed a light sweater. "Just let me leave a note for Mamo-chan, and we'll go."

Grabbing a pad of paper and a pen, she lightly scribbled a quick note:

_Mamo-chan_

_Minako, Makoto, Ami, Rei and I are at the Crown Arcade and Café. Meet us there when you get home. Love you!_

_Usagi_

Taping that to the counter of the kitchen, she looked around and with a satisfied nod, the five stepped out of the apartment, Usagi closing and locking the door behind her.

As they walked down the stairs of the apartment, none of them noticed the figure watching them, more particularly, watching a certain blonde, the figures eyes slightly crazed.

"You will be mine once more, little bunny," the figure murmured as it slipped back into the shadows, walking down the stairs and out of the building through the back doors, the same way he'd come in. "One way or another, you will be mine."

A/N: Hey fans, editors, and all you other people! Sorry this chapter: A) is so short, and B) took so long to get out. I did do my best, but school, the musical, my job, and my mother all have impacts on me. So, I'll do my best to keep updating, but here's the deal... I need reviews to let me know if I should keep going. If I don't get many, I'll stop while I'm ahead. If I get more... I'll do my best to update as frequently as possible. Again, it's all up to you, my lovely readers and reviewers. My fate...and the fate of the story... is in your hands. Thanks again for all your support, and ta ta for now!


	20. The Truths of Love: Chapter twenty

The Truths of Love: Chapter twenty

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Never have, never will, so please don't sue me.

"Rei Hino, I do NOT look like that when I eat!" Usagi spat, glaring at the raven haired girl across from her.

Rei smirked, deflating her cheeks and uncrossing her eyes.

"Oh yes you do, Odango. Ami here can attest to it, can't you, Ami-chan?"

Usagi gave a gasp of outrage and turned hurt blue eyes on the blue haired girl, who turned a brilliant shade of red and tried to sink into the cushions of the booth they sat in.

"Ami… you don't really think that's what I look like, do you?" Usagi asked, her tone plaintive.

"W-well," Ami began, her face turning brighter by the moment. "You do kind of make a funny face and---"

"You see?" Rei crowed in triumph. "Even Ami agrees with me!"

"Ami, I'm hurt!" Usagi exclaimed, moving to stand up. However, in the process, she managed to spill her milkshake all over Ami's lap.

"Oh! Ami, I'm so sorry!" Usagi cried as Ami yelped at the cold. "Here, let me help…" Grapping at some napkins, Usagi tried to shove them into Ami's lap, trying to soak up the milk shake.

Ami laughed softly and stood, pushing away Usagi's attempts to help her.

"Don't worry about it, Usagi-chan. It's fine. I'll just go to the bathroom and wash it out as best I can. Alright? No harm done."

Usagi nodded morosely, and sat down, watching Ami walking towards the bathroom.

"Oh, way to go, Odango Atama," Rei taunted. "Spilling your milkshake all over Ami. Really nice."

"I didn't mean to!" Usagi spluttered in self defense. "And besides--"

At that moment the door to the café banged open, and a figure dressed in torn rags stumbled into the room, his head turning from side to side, before the ice blue eyes locked on Usagi in triumph.

Walking over to the table, he grabbed Usagi by the shoulders and pulled her out of her seat, holding her close to his side.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Usagi shrieked, trying to pull away.

All her struggling amounted to was the figure holding her more closely to his side, and pulling a gun out.

"Stay still, little bunny," the voice of Usagi's nightmares hissed. "And all of you. If anyone moves, you'll be shot. Don't think I'm joking. Now, I'm going to take this girl with me. If anyone even thinks to stop me, well… I wouldn't want to be you."

That said, Matt began dragging Usagi with him towards the door.

At that moment, the door of the bathroom opened, and Ami came back in, looking down at the new stain in her shirt.

"Usagi, this is a new shirt," Ami started, not looking up as she headed back towards the table.

"Ami, no!" Usagi shrieked, but it was too late.

Matt's gun was aimed at Ami in a heartbeat, and in the next instant, a shot rang through the café, and Ami crumpled to the floor, her eyes wide with mingled shock and pain.

"Ami! Let me go, Matt!" Usagi shrieked, tears running down her face. "I hate you!" Grabbing his arm, Usagi sank her teeth into it, in an attempt to make him let go.

Cursing, Matt loosened his grip just enough so that Usagi was able to pull away.

Motoki leapt over the counter as he saw Matt heading towards the exit of the cafe, unnoticed by the rest of the cafe's occupants, who were all so involved with Ami, lying on the floor.

"And where do you think you're going?" Motoki snarled as he blocked the exit way.

Matt hissed low in his throat and brought the gun up level with Motoki's chest.

"I suggest you move, little boy," Matt growled quietly. "Unless, of course, you wish to end up like your little friend over there."

Motoki hesitated slightly, indecision showing on his face. Matt played upon this opportunity and nodded.

"That's it. Move aside and let me go… and you'll get away safely, too."

Motoki's eyes narrowed in hatred as he took a small step to the side.

Matt smiled and made a mocking bow as he quickly exited the café.

At the sound of the door closing, Makoto looked up at Motoki and her eyes widened in horror.

"You fool!" She screeched loudly. "You let him get away! How could you!"

Motoki exhaled lowly and scrubbed a hand through his lank hair, looking at the ground.

Tears were streaming down Makoto's face as she jumped to her feet and strode over to where Motoki stood looking abashedly at the ground. Pulling back her fist, she was about to slam it into him when a hand on her fist stopped her.

"Don't do it, Makoto. He would have gotten away, no matter what." Usagi's emotionless voice came from the floor where she still held Ami. "Motoki only did what was right. Matt would have shot him and then escaped, or gotten away without shooting someone else. Motoki did the right thing."

Seeing Makoto's look of resignation, Rei let go of her hand.

Minako, who at some point had run outside, returned at that moment.

"The ambulance is coming down the street, guys," she announced.

Meanwhile, Mamoru was walking down the sidewalk to the Crown, having received Usagi's note. A small smile graced his features as he thought about surprising her at the arcade; he'd gotten off of work early, stopped by a flower shop to buy a small bouquet of roses, and come home to surprise her, only to find she was gone.

So, he'd changed his clothes, grabbed his jacket and the bouquet, and headed down the sidewalk.

As he neared the Crown, a shape hurled past him, running as though something were after him. Mamoru frowned slightly, turning his head to try and catch another glimpse of the person.

'That's odd,' he thought to himself. 'That almost looked like…'

His eyes widened in horror, and his pace increased as he hurried to the Crown.

The roses he had in his hand fell forgotten to the ground.

The paramedics rolled Ami slowly into the ambulance on the cart, an artificial respirator strapped to her nose, helping her to breathe.

Mamoru skidded around the last corner just in time to see the door of the ambulance being shut.

"Usagi!" He cried breathlessly.

A blonde head, about to disappear into the driver's side of the ambulance, stopped short and looked back.

Usagi's eyes widened as she saw Mamoru, and her heart sped up.

"Mamoru!" She cried, running to him, throwing herself into his arms.

"Usako," he murmured, wrapping her in his arms, holding her close. "What happened?"

"He came, Mamo-chan! He was here, and he grabbed me, and he threatened, and she came out of the room, and he saw her, and the gun, and the blood, and…Oh Mamoru!"

Her voice trailed off into sobs, and she pressed her face against his chest, crying.

Mamoru held her close for a moment, letting her cry, before gently pulling back.

"Usako, take a deep breath and tell me, slowly what happened. I didn't understand anything you said."

Usagi gave a weak laugh and wiped her eyes quickly.

"Matt was here, Mamoru. He came in and started threatening everyone. Amy came out of the bathroom, because I had spilled my milkshake on her shirt, and she'd gone to clean it, and he looked up, and… and… Oh, Mamoru, he SHOT her!" Usagi's disposure crumpled one more, and she buried her face against his chest once more, crying for all she was worth.

Mamoru's eyes widened in horror, and he held Usagi close as she sobbed, heart wrenching sobs of pain and terror.

"Alright, Usagi. Let's get you home," Mamoru murmured softly.

Usagi shook her head frantically, her eyes wide with horror.

"N-no!" She cried softly. "I have to be there! I have to be with Ami! Please, Mamoru, please, we have to go to the hospital!"

Mamoru hesitated, but as he looked down into the eyes of the woman he loved, those tear filled, pleading blue eyes, he felt himself relenting, and nodded his consent.

"Alright, Usako. Let's just go get the car. I walked down here, so we'll have to go back to the apartment."

At this moment, the paramedic popped his head out of the driver's door impatiently, glancing at Usagi.

"Are you coming or not? We need to get going."

Usagi glance slightly at Mamoru, and then nodded to the paramedic.

"Mamoru… will you meet us at the hospital? I really need to go with her… please, Mamoru…"

Mamoru wasted no time in nodding his agreement.

"You go along. I'll be there when I can be."

Usagi smiled gratefully at him and rushed over to the ambulance once more, hopping inside and pulling her door closed. The sirens wailing, the ambulance took off down the road, leaving Mamoru behind, staring after it for a moment, before turning and heading back to the apartment at a quick pace, jostling people in his haste to get home.

Finally, he managed to get to the apartment garage, and ran down the aisles to his car, pulling his keys out of his pocket and unlocking his car, jumping into the driver side and slamming the door closed, turning the car on and peeling out of the parking space, out of the garage, and down the street towards the hospital in record time.

"Is she… going to be okay?" Usagi hesitatingly asked the paramedic as they sped down the street toward the hospital.

The man driving looked at the woman out of the corner of his eyes and managed a brief nod.

"We're doing our best. The bullet didn't hit any major arteries, nor did it hit any vital parts of her body. Still, she lost a lot of blood. However… her will to live is quite strong. Even if he had hit something, I'm not sure it would have gotten her down. It's odd, really." He shrugged his shoulders and fell silent, paying attention to the road once more.

Usagi looked out the window, her shoulders sagging a bit.

'Please, Ami-chan… please, please pull through this… I'm so sorry for putting you in danger…'

Then her mind cleared, and she simply watched out the window as they traveled down the road to the hospital.

Two hours later…

Usagi paced back and forth in the waiting room, unable to sit still. Mamoru, Makoto, Minako and Rei were sitting in chairs around the room, Mamoru staring off into space, Rei looking at her watch and tapping her foot, Makoto reading a magazine, or at least attempting to, and Minako watching Usagi, her face growing more and more restless with each passing moment.

"Usagi! Sit down!" She snapped, unable to hold back any longer.

Usagi glanced at her, her eyes faraway.

"I'm sorry, Minako. I can't. It's my fault she's in here in the first place… If I hadn't spilled the milkshake… but even before that, if I hadn't made Matt so unhappy… none of this would ever have happened…"

Minako's eyes softened and she shook her head.

"That's not true, Usagi," Makoto said softly, looking up from the magazine. "Matt is unstable. He would have done this no matter what."

"No!" Usagi insisted. "If I hadn't made him so upset with me in the first place, none of this would have happened! I shouldn't have talked to Mamoru about what was happening, and…"

"Usako." Mamoru's voice cut her off. "You most definitely should have told me. Matt was abusing you. He wouldn't have stopped, no matter how much you tried to please him. We've been through this before, love…"

Usagi looked down, tears pooling in her eyes.

"Yes, but…"

At that moment the door of the hospital opened, and a doctor walked out, running a hand through his graying hair with a weary sigh. Looking up, he gave a weak smile.

"You're here for Mizuno Ami I presume?"

Usagi's head nodded frantically and she rushed up to the doctor.

"How is she?! Is she going to be okay? Is she alright? What's going on?! Oh, please, tell me what's happening!"

"Relax, child," the doctor commanded with a friendly smile. "She's fine. She just needs to rest for awhile. She lost quite a bit of blood, so we weren't sure for awhile whether she'd make it or not, but she pulled through remarkably. I'm sorry, though; we can't let anybody see her today. She truly needs her rest, and we can't take any chances that you might disturb her. I'm terribly sorry, but you'll have to come back tomorrow."

Usagi's face had lit up at this news, only to fall once more at his next words. She nodded her understanding, though, and turned, walking to Mamoru.

"Alright. Thank you so much, for all your help. We'll be here first thing tomorrow morning."

With a nod, Mamoru stood, pulling Usagi lightly into his arms once more. Makoto, Minako and Rei stood as well, and with a last thanks, they headed for the doors of the hospital, filing out.

"Well, Usako," Mamoru began, looking down at her. "Let's get you home. It's been a long day."

Usagi nodded her consent, and, leaning against him, they headed home.

Phew! Wow, it's been, what, five months since I last updated? I'm so, so, so, so, so, so, SO, so sorry for that! I've been really busy… work and school are eating my LIFE. So, here's the chapter, and I'm sorry it's shorter than most, but along with having no time, I also have writer's block. So. I thought I'd get this chapter out, and see what happens from now on. So. Sorry again for taking such a long time, and thanks for sticking with me. Love to you all!


	21. The Truths of Love: Chapter twenty one

The Truths of Love: Chapter twenty one

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Never have, never will, so please don't sue.

"Mamoru, are you ready to go yet?" An impatient voice called from the doorway of the apartment. "It's almost nine o'clock. The hospital visiting hours began almost an hour ago, and we aren't there yet!"

Mamoru glanced up, his blue eyes filled with light, a smirk on his face.

"Calm down, Usagi. We'll get there. I'll be ready in five minutes," came the calm reply.

Usagi threw up her hands in frustration and resumed her pacing back and forth across the entryway of the apartment.

Finally, with a chuckle, Mamoru grabbed his jacket and slung it over his shoulder, grabbing his key and walking to Usagi, draping his arm lightly over her shoulder.

"Alright, Usako. Let's go."

"Finally!" Usagi breathed, rolling her eyes in exasperation.

Mamoru cocked an eyebrow, unable to keep a hint of laughter from his eyes.

"And now you know how I… and the girls… feel every time we want to go somewhere, ne, Usagi? 'Just five more minutes, guys.' 'Oh, I'll be out in a second.' 'Give me two more minutes.' Sound familiar?"

Usagi's cheeks flamed with embarrassment and she shrugged off his arm with a muttered excuse, pushing past him and out of the door, her blonde hair flying behind her.

Mamoru chuckled slightly as he followed her out, pulling the door shut and locking it behind him as he followed the blonde down to the parking garage of the apartment, and into his car.

Usagi buckled her seat belt, and looked at him impatiently, as he calmly pulled his seat belt across his lap and buckled it, and stuck the keys into the ignition, turning on the car at, what seemed to Usagi, an excruciatingly slow pace.

"Mamo-chan," she whined, "can't you go any faster?"

Mamoru glanced wryly at her from the corner of his eye, his lip quirked up in a half smile.

"Don't worry, Usagi. We'll get there in plenty of time. We have until six thirty tonight."

Usagi's eyes flew open in horror.

"Six thirty?!" She shrieked. "That's not nearly long enough! What do you think, Mamoru, if I die my hair blue, do you think I'll pass as her sister?"

Mamoru's eyes face turned abruptly pale as he turned to Usagi, his eyes on her beautiful golden hair.

"I… well… um… you…" He scratched the back of his head lightly, trying to come up with the right words, his heart pounding frantically.

Usagi stared at him for a moment, her lips quirking.

"Don't worry, Mamoru. I was only kidding. I like my hair the way it is." She smirked slightly. "But it was worth it to see the look on your face."

Mamoru scowled slightly at Usagi, turning his eyes back to the road.

"Don't scare me like that, Usagi," he moaned. "I had this vision of you walking through the front door, your hair blue…. Not that blue is a bad color," he amended hastily at the slight sulk that crossed her face. "It's a wonderful color on Ami but just…. Not on you. You understand, right?" The tone of his voice pleaded with her to understand.

Usagi smirked, tossing her golden hair behind her shoulders.

"I know. I wouldn't want to have blue hair, anyways. Blondes have way too much fun."

She winked over at him and blew a kiss as the car finally came into view of the hospital. Pulling into the parking lot, Mamoru scoured the place for a parking space, and his eyes lit up as he spotted one. Quickly he pulled into it, and turned off the car.

Barely had he done this than the passenger side of the car flew open and a blonde blur rushed out of the car.

"Usagi!" Mamoru called, shaking his head with a laugh. "Wait for me!"

Usagi's eyes rolled as she skidded to a stop, turning around and tapping her foot impatiently as she waited for Mamoru to turn the car off, get out, and lock the car up. Finally, he reached her side, and she grabbed his hand, practically dragging him towards the entrance of the hospital.

A soft knock on the door opened Ami's eyes.

"Ames, can we come in?" A muffled voice called out.

Ami smiled slightly and nodded yes, but realized that they wouldn't be able to see her, she croaked out a soft yes.

The door opened and Usagi stepped in hesitantly, a bouquet of lilies behind her back as she walked to Ami's bedside, tears brimming in her blue eyes as she looked at the petite girl on the bed.

"Oh, Ami-chan, I'm so sorry!" Usagi burst out, tears seeping down her cheeks to fall to the floor. "I didn't mean for you to get hurt! It was all my fault, and I'm so, so sorry!"

Ami blinked slightly, grimacing as Usagi broke down in front of her. Moving painstakingly slow, she placed her hand on the girl's head.

"Usagi, it's alright," Ami whispered softly. "It wasn't your fault, it was Matt's. I'm going to be alright, Usagi. I just need some rest. Please, be happy." Ami smiled softly at Usagi, leaning back on the bed, her face pale.

Usagi shook her head, tears continuing to flow freely down her face.

"No," she murmured. "It's my fault. Matt was after me, and I spilled the milkshake, and if I wasn't such a klutz, you wouldn't have been shot… I'm so sorry, Ami. Please, please forgive me."

Ami smiled softly and lightly patted Usagi's head.

"You're forgiven. Stand up, now, and don't cry anymore, alright? I'm fine."

Usagi nodded and brushed her hand across her face, wiping away tears and forcing a smile as she brought out the lilies.

"Here. I got these for you. Let me put them in a vase for you, though, so you don't need to worry about it…"

Scuttling across the room, Usagi found a vase beside the bed and filled it with water, putting the flowers in it and arranging them delicately.

"There," she said with satisfaction.

Ami smiled slightly and glanced at the door of the room, where four anxious faces stood watching the events in the room take place. Ami smiled and motioned with her hands.

"You guys can come in," she called softly, a smile on her face.

The door was pushed open, and slowly Mamoru, Minako, Makoto and Rei slipped into the room, forming a semi circle around the bed. There was a moment of silence, and then everybody started talking at once.

"How are you feeling?"

"What do you need?"

"Can I get you anything?"

"What can I do for you?"

"Guys…"

"Are you alright?"

"Should I get a nurse?"

"Are you uncomfortable?"

"Do you want an extra pillow?"

"Should I get you another blanket?"

"Guys!"

At Ami's slightly raised voice, silence once more took over the room, and the four people stood staring at her.

"I'm fine. Really. I don't need anything, and no, I don't need a nurse, an extra pillow, or another blanket. So, just grab some chairs and sit down and visit with me." A grin crossed her face as she looked around at the assembled people. "Wow, it does feel nice to give the orders for once."

The tension in the room broke at her comment, and the five people gathered around Ami's bed burst into laughter as they moved to grab some folding chairs, circling the bed.

"Oh, by the way, Ami, I brought you something," Rei announced as she reached into the bag that was sitting in front of her. "Here ya go. Something to read while you're in here."

Ami blinked as she took the object, which turned out to be a magazine.

"Ooh," she breathed, her eyes widening. "National Geographic! And… it's on Mercury…" Her eyes sparkled with delight as she flipped through the glossy pages. "Oh, Rei, thank you!"

Rei smiled proudly, crossing her arms over her chest, smirking broadly.

"I knew you'd love it."

Minako rolled her eyes and lightly whapped Rei in the back of the head, causing the raven haired girl to wince slightly.

"What did I do?" Rei demanded as she rubbed the back of her head, wincing slightly.

Her only answer was another roll of Minako's eyes, and a scattering of laughter from Ami, Makoto, Mamoru and Usagi.

"Thanks, Rei. I'll read this when you guys are gone. I was wondering, truth be told, what I was going to do without you here tonight," Ami confided.

Minako smirked and pulled out her own package.

"Have no fear; Minako is here to save the day!" Minako proclaimed, setting the package on the bed.

Ami blinked slightly as she took the package, opening it to reveal a small stack of fashion magazines. Ami's eyes opened slightly as she skimmed quickly through the pictures, smiling faintly.

"Um, thanks, Minako," she said quietly. "I'll treasure them."

"Minako, what were you thinking?" Rei hissed slightly. "Ami's not interested in--"

At that moment, Rei's words were cut off as Ami gasped slightly.

"Wow! Look at these! It's just like something an ice princess would wear," Ami stated wistfully.

Minako stuck her tongue out at Rei.

"You were saying?" Minako taunted.

Rei sighed and whapped Minako lightly on the back of the head.

"Do shut up," Rei replied.

Minako smirked as she rubbed the back of her head.

"I win."

The rest of the day passed in a blur as the six people sat in the hospital room, Minako, Rei, Makoto, Usagi and Mamoru joking and playing around while Ami rested quietly in the bed, every so often dozing off. At those times, the five visitors would quietly leave the room, only to have one of the people stick their heads in every half an hour to see if she was awake, or if she needed to have a nurse.

At six that evening, as dinner was delivered to the hospital rooms, Ami grimaced.

"Yuck," she murmured. "Hospital food."

Usagi nodded sympathetically.

"Sorry, Ami. I'd go get you some actual food from the cafeteria downstairs, but I don't think they want you to have it yet."

At that moment, the door to room opened and a nurse wheeling a tray came in.

"Dinner is served, Ms. Mizuno," the nurse announced with a cheerful grin, pulling a tray off the cart and placing it lightly on the bed in front of Ami.

"Tonight's dishes are tomato soup and a little plate of jell-o and a cup of orange juice."

Ami forced a smile and lifted her spoon, grimacing distastefully as she drew the spoon lightly through the soup, forcing a small smile.

"Thank you, Mitsuki," Ami said politely, and the nurse nodded and with another bright smile walked out of the room.

"Eat up, Ami," Mamoru said with a grin, his eyes sparkling. "You need to get your strength back."

Ami rolled her eyes and bringing up her spoon, flung a little bit at Mamoru, hitting him square in the face, causing him to splutter in disbelief. A small giggle escaped her lips as Usagi glared at her.

"Sorry, Mamoru," Ami apologized. "I'll eat the rest now."

Mamoru grumbled good naturedly as the other four girls laughed.

Finally, six thirty rolled around, and Minako, Rei, Makoto, Usagi and Mamoru stood, saying their farewells to Ami.

"We'll be back tomorrow, Ami-chan," Minako said, holding Ami's eyes.

"We promise," Makoto added.

Usagi nodded her head, giving Ami a careful hug before bounding out of the room.

"We'll be here tomorrow, Ami," Mamoru repeated, leaning over and lightly kissing Ami's cheek. "Try and have a good night, alright?"

Ami smiled and nodded.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Usagi cried as she rushed back into the room. "Here." She reached into her pocket and produced a small crystal rabbit, which she put on the mantel piece above Ami's bed.

"Usagi," Ami murmured in awe. "Your…"

Usagi glanced at the ground, nodding slightly.

"My parents gave me this," she whispered softly. "And I'm allowing you to borrow it for the night. It will keep watch over you. It will be your guardian angel for the night."

Usagi smiled brightly and gave Ami one last hug before leaping out of the room once more.

Mamoru and Ami shared a significant look before saying their last farewells, and Mamoru left the room, pulling the door softly closed behind him.

Usagi smiled brightly up at Mamoru, lacing her fingers through his as they walked out of the hospital.

"I'm so glad she's alright, Mamoru… I was so worried about her," Usagi confessed.

Mamoru smiled down at the slight blonde, leaning down to place a soft kiss on the top of her head.

"She's strong, Usako. She could pull through much worse than this, and we both know it."

Usagi nodded thoughtfully as they walked hand in hand to the car.

"Still, though, I feel bad," she murmured softly. "If it weren't for me, Ami wouldn't even be in there right now."

Mamoru's heart tugged with sympathy as he looked down at the love of his life, and he stopped walking, turning her to face him.

"Usako. Stop that. You couldn't have done anything differently. If it hadn't been Ami, it would have been someone else, and that person might not have been as strong as Ami-chan is. Don't blame yourself, Usagi. Matt is very unsound. He'll stop at nothing to get what he wants. That isn't your fault. Ami knows it; I know it, now it's just time for you to accept it as well, and to stop blaming yourself for these things. Alright?"

Usagi hesitated, and then nodded slightly, wrapping her arms tightly around Mamoru, holding herself close to the shelter of his body. Mamoru stood, his arms wrapped around her, holding her for awhile in the parking lot, before pulling away and smiling softly down at her.

"Now, let's go home, alright? I'll cook dinner… what do you say to sushi, hmm?"

Usagi's eyes lit up in anticipation and she nodded.

"Let's go!" she cried as they headed back off to the car.

Unnoticed, in the very corner of the parking lot, a darker shadow watched the two young lovers heading off together.

"Someday, little bunny, I will have you back in my arms. And when that day comes, I will make you pay for all the trouble you have put me through."

Turning around, the shadow disappeared further into the deepening night.

Well, there we go. Chapter 21 is finished, and in record time, if I do say so myself. Not as soon as the first chapters, but still pretty good. I just want to thank all of my reviewers once more; you guys ROCK. It really makes me happy to know that there are people out there that are enjoying reading this as much as I am enjoying writing it. SO, keep those reviews coming, and I'll keep my chapters coming. Much love to you all!


	22. The Truths of Love: Chapter twenty two

The Truths of Love: Chapter twenty two

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Never have, never will, so please don't sue.

The person paced back and forth in the tiny, one bedroom apartment in which he was staying. The man in front of him shifted uncomfortably, watching his employer as he stalked back and forth.

"You know what you need to do," the person rasped with a deep voice. "What are you sitting there like a fool for? Get on with it!"

Startled, the man jumped to his feet and grabbed his coat, hastening to pull it on over his threadbare sweater.

"And if I do this, you'll pay me sixty thousand dollars, right?" The man murmured with a greasy voice, despite his apparent nervousness.

The person's lip lifted in a sneer and there was a motion as that of a head bobbing up and down.

"Yes, you'll get your money. Now get moving!"

Usagi sighed happily as she trudged her way through the snow, her long blonde hair tied up in a long pony tail, as she strode hand in hand with Mamoru through the park.

"Mm," she breathed out, her breath coming in a soft cloud of fog. "I love the winter time!"

Mamoru laughed slightly, squeezing her hand slightly.

"Oh you do, do you?" he teased. "That's funny. I always thought you hated it. Having to dress up in warm clothes, eat hot food and drink hot cocoa… No, Usako, I never pictured you as one to love winter."

Usagi stuck her tongue out at him, earning a laugh.

"Oh, you know you love me, Mamo-chan," she replied haughtily.

Mamoru grinned.

"Oh, of course, Usagi. Even if you do eat all my food, use all my towels, take all the blankets…"

Usagi turned a bright shade of red.

"I do not eat all your food!" She cried indignantly.

Mamoru smirked and tugged at her hand, pulling her along with him, continuing down the path in the park.

"Sure, love. Whatever you say."

Usagi 'hmphed' but let herself be dragged on.

"Up for some window shopping?" Mamoru asked her as they continued their stroll, heading towards town.

Usagi's eyes lit up and she nodded her head enthusiastically.

"Oh, yes! Let's see if we can find something nice for Ami-chan!"

Two hours later…

Mamoru sighed, trudging down the sidewalk, holding bags of stuff in his hands, looking over at Usagi, also held down with bags of stuff.

"Right, Usako," he teased. "We'll just find something for Ami. And then, of course, you had to get something for Rei, and then something for Makoto, and then for Minako, and how could you pass up those cute pink pants, and the fuzzy socks, with that purple sweatshirt, hmm? Not only do you eat all my food, you spend all my money, too!"

Usagi turned a bright red and shook her head.

"No way, Mamoru! You aren't putting the blame on me! You're the one who asked if I wanted to go window shopping. It's not my fault that I found all those things, and definitely not my fault that you let me buy them."

Mamoru grinned and gently ruffled Usagi's hair.

As they walked, they passed a diamond store, and something inside caught Mamoru's eye.

"Oh!" He murmured softly. "Wait here, Usako, I'll be right back."

Usagi blinked but nodded and leaned back against the store window to wait as Mamoru slipped inside of the store.

Across the way, something in the store window captured her attention. Turning to look in the window for Mamoru, she mouthed that she'd be right back, and quickly walked across the street, looking into the store window.

Usagi never even noticed the small man sneaking up behind her.

"Alright, girlie," he murmured quietly, raising his hand and pressing a gun to her back discreetly. "You're going to come with me and not make any noise, you got it?"

Usagi's eyes widened in terror and her whole body shook as she nodded her head.

The man smiled, and nudged her with the gun.

"Good girl. Now, let's go."

Pressing the gun more firmly against her back, he led her off in the direction of a waiting cab.

Unnoticed by the man, Usagi lightly took her scarf, which was in her pocket, and let it flutter down to the ground in front of the store.

'Please, Mamoru,' she thought to herself, getting into the cab as tears pricked her eyes. 'Please be able to find me!'

Mamoru smiled slightly, humming a soft tune under his breath as he came out of the diamond store, a new bag in hand.

When he'd seen the diamond bunny, his thoughts had turned immediately to Usagi. It would be such a great present for her, he remembered thinking. So, on an impulse, he'd decided to get it for her.

Walking out, a small smile on his face, he looked across the street to where he'd seen Usagi walking, but no one was there. He frowned slightly, looking up and down the sidewalk, his face growing worried.

Suddenly, his heart stopped in his chest. He leaned over and picked up the object that had grabbed his attention, his heart resuming pounding, but louder, harder, and much faster in his chest.

"Usako!" He cried out, looking around frantically.

Grabbing his cell phone, he opened it up, and with shaking fingers, dialed Rei's number.

"Hino residence, Rei speaking," Rei's calm voice came.

"Rei, she's gone," Mamoru murmured into the phone, clutching it so tight his knuckles were white.

"Mamoru? What are you talking about?" Rei asked, her voice puzzled.

"Usagi!" Mamoru nearly shouted. "She's gone! I was with her shopping, and I went into a store to get her something, and she went across the street; I purchased the thing, came out to get her, and she's gone!"

Rei was silent for a moment.

"Relax, Mamoru," she finally said. "Maybe Usagi just went into a different store."

"No, Rei," Mamoru ground out. "Her scarf was on the ground."

Rei's face went white with terror.

"Where are you, Mamoru? I'm coming down. Call the other girls, and get them down there, too. And call Motoki, while you're at it."

"Swarovski's," Mamoru managed to utter out.

"Alright, I'll be there in ten minutes. Don't move, Mamoru!"

"Alright. See you in ten."

True to her word, ten minutes later Rei was down at Swarovski's, stopping an anxious Mamoru from barging off to find Usagi on his own.

"Just wait, Mamoru!" She finally snapped. "Ami, Minako, Makoto, and Motoki will be here in two minutes. Once they get here, we'll split up and look for her. Until then, you'll just have to calm down."

Mamoru threw a glare at the raven haired girl, his eyes flashing with anger.

"If anything happens to her, I swear…" he began.

"What happened? Where's Usagi?" Minako asked as she came running down the sidewalk to stop in front of Mamoru.

Rei managed a smile.

"Alright, Mamoru, less than two minutes," Rei said.

Mamoru looked up, his eyes haunted.

"She's gone. I went into a store to buy something for her, and when I came back out, she was gone. Her scarf was on the ground, and she's just… gone!"

Minako stood, staring at him.

"You left her out here alone!" She shrieked. "You stupid… pathetic… no good…"

"Minako, calm down," Ami said calmly as she joined the group. "I'm sure Mamoru had a good reason for leaving her out here. Right, Mamoru?"

Mamoru stared hard at the ground.

"I just wanted to surprise her," he muttered slightly, reaching into the bag and pulling out the rabbit he'd bought.

Minako's eyes flew open, and her jaw dropped, her eyes beginning to glitter with tears.

"I'm sorry, Mamoru," she murmured. "I'm just… I'm scared for Usagi. What if… what if HE has her?"

Mamoru's eyes flashed.

"And you think I'm not worried about her?" he snapped. "I can't do anything about it! I have no idea where she is, who has her, what's happening to her… I don't know anything… It's driving me crazy!" He burst out.

Ami sighed sympathetically.

"Alright, we need to split up," Minako said decisively. "She can't have gone too far. Makoto and Rei, you two head down towards the radio tower. Motoki and Mamoru, you two head towards the river. And Ami and I will head deeper into town. If anyone finds any clue as to where she is, call the others. If we can't find her… well… we'll meet back at Mamoru's apartment at 6:30. Got it?"

The rest of the group nodded, and with final instructions, they split up, each in their own directions.

'Usako,' Mamoru thought to himself. 'I'm coming for you. One way or another, I will find you. And when I do… there will be hell to pay for whoever took you.'

"Now, don't worry, girly," the man said as he pulled a piece of cloth from his pocket. "You understand, of course. We can't let you know where you're going, so I'm just going to blindfold you for the trip. No hard feelings, eh?"

Usagi glared at the man, but when he once more brandished the gun and pointed at her, she meekly let him tie the make-shift blindfold across her eyes.

"There's a good girl," the man murmured.

Leaning forward, he tapped on the glass separating the back of the cab from the front. When the pane slid open, he whispered something to the driver, and the cab started moving.

"So, little lady, might I inquire as to what your name is?" the man asked, his eyes roaming over her body greedily.

Usagi remained quiet, her face stony.

The man smirked slightly.

"The strong silent type I see," he murmured. "Well, my name is Masaharu. Glad to be of service," he said mockingly.

Still, Usagi said nothing, not even giving him the satisfaction of a reaction.

Masaharu gritted his teeth together, doing his best to stay calm.

'Just remember, you deliver this girl, and you get sixty thousand dollars. All you need to do is put up with this bitch for another five minutes, and you'll get the money. And remember what the guy said… "Don't touch her no more than is strictly necessary, no matter what she says or does." Which is a shame, seeing as it means I can't wring her pretty little neck…'

Sighing, he looked out the window, opting to stay silent for the remainder of the ride to the tower.

Masaharu sighed, his thoughts drifting.

'Of all the places to meet, why there? Can't it have just been back at his apartment once more? What is so significant about the Tokyo tower that he needed me to drag the little bitch all the way out there?'

His gaze shifted to the blonde, who still hadn't said a word. He rolled his eyes and resumed staring sullenly out the window.

Finally they reached their destination, and the cab stopped. Masaharu smiled widely and opened his door, stepping out and walking over to the other side of the car, pulling the door open for Usagi and helping her out.

Usagi grimaced.

'Who does he think he is?' She thought to herself. 'First he kidnaps me, then he blindfolds me, and then he expects me to talk to him like we're old buddies? I think not.'

She glared at where she thought the man was standing, still unable to see, as the blindfold was still on her.

Masaharu smirked slightly and pushed her roughly, forcing her in the direction he wanted to go. There was a pause as we went and pulled a door open, and then she was roughly pushed through the door.

"And now, my dear, we wait for him," Masaharu announced, sitting down on a couch, letting Usagi remain standing. "But don't worry, he shouldn't be long. After all, he was very anxious to get a hold of you, and I don't think he'll want to wait much longer."

"Indeed I won't," a voice came from a doorway, the voice Usagi had been dreading for so long. "So, we meet again, little bunny," the voice drawled. "I must say, I have missed you. And now, you will pay for all the trouble you have caused me."

'Oh please, Mamoru, please find me!' Was Usagi's last thought before darkness consumed her.

Well, there ya go! Chapter 22 is out!

I want to thank all of my reviewers. Especially the ones who give constructive criticism and what not. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, THANK you! That said, I'm off. Please review!


	23. The Truths of Love: Chapter twenty three

The Truths of Love: Chapter twenty three

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Never have, never will, so please don't sue.

Mamoru paced back and forth, frustration practically oozing from every inch of his body.

"Where is she?" He ground out, his teeth tightly clenched together.

Motoki sighed, running a hand through his hair, tightly closing his eyes.

"We don't know, Mamoru," Motoki said for what seemed to be the millionth time in the past five minutes. "We're doing everything we can do. You need to be patient. The girls will be here in a few minutes. Hopefully they'll know something more, but until then, you need to relax."

The two of them had searched up and down the river for over two hours, and when finally 6:15 had rolled around, they'd given up and trudged back to Mamoru's apartment in defeat. Now that they'd arrived, however, Mamoru was pacing, itching to go back out and resume the search of his beloved Usagi.

"Relax, you say. Relax. Hah! I'd like to see how you'd react if it was Minako who had been kidnapped!" Mamoru snapped at his blonde haired friend.

Motoki flushed bright red, and his eyes snapped in anger.

"If it had been Minako, I wouldn't have let her out of my sight for even one instant!" Motoki snarled back, unable to hold back the comment, despite the pain he knew it would cause in Mamoru.

Instantly Mamoru's eyes clouded over, with self pity and anger, and he turned away.

"Yes, of course you wouldn't, Motoki," Mamoru replied bitterly. "Not even to get her a surprise; to do something spontaneous to show her how much you love her."

Motoki's face softened and he sighed.

"Mamoru, I'm sorry," he began, but Mamoru cut him off.

"Save it, Motoki. I know what you meant. I shouldn't have let her out of my sight. I never should have gone to get that damned rabbit for her!" Rage filled his every word, and he slammed his fist into the desk he stood beside, letting the pain course through him, barely noticing the timid knock that came at the door.

"Coming," Motoki muttered under his breath, standing and stretching his long legs and heading to the door.

As soon as the door was opened, a blonde blur threw itself sobbing into Motoki's arms.

"Oh, Motoki-kun!" Minako sobbed. "I couldn't find her! What if she's dead? What if _he_ has her?"

Motoki glanced nervously at the dark head of hair that brooded silently for the moment over his desk, and then glanced down at the woman he held in his arms.

"Mina-chan, now isn't the greatest time to be saying that," Motoki began softly as the three other girls trailed into the room silently.

"If he has her, then there will be hell to pay," Mamoru spat out, his eyes flashing with undisguised hatred. "And she's not… _not_… dead. I'd know. I'd know…" This said, he sank down into his chair, rubbing his eyes with a sigh.

"Mamoru," Ami said with a soft sigh, "we'll find Usagi. Don't worry."

Mamoru looked up and gave the blue haired genius a curt nod before looking out his window at the Tokyo tower.

"I just don't know where she'd be," he ground out, and then stopped dead, staring.

"Mamoru?" Rei asked hesitantly, looking at him and then out the window where he was looking, and immediately her eyes widened.

At that point, the rest of the people looked out the window, and their eyes were drawn to the imposing figure of the Tokyo Tower, set in the middle of Tokyo.

"No way," Makoto breathed. "How could we have been so stupid?"

"It's so simple, really," Ami said softly, her eyes riveted to the tower. "Where would he go that no one would think, seeing as it's such an obvious place?"

"The Tokyo Tower," Rei added, unnecessarily.

Mamoru growled low in his throat and stood up, grabbing his jacket and heading for the door.

"Well?" He snarled as no one else in the room moved even an inch from their position at the window. "What are you waiting for? Let's go get her."

"Mamoru," Ami began tentatively.

"We can't just go barging in there," Minako protested.

"We'd get our asses kicked," Makoto stated bluntly.

"We need a plan of action," Rei put in, her violet eyes gleaming with determination.

Motoki stood back, rubbing the back of his head nervously.

Mamoru sighed and dropped his coat, sitting down once more on the chair, scrubbing his hands through his hair anxiously.

"Well, then, let's start planning," he said softly.

Usagi's first sight on reawakening was of a large glass window, through which she could see virtually all of western Tokyo. Sitting up, her jaw dropped in awe, and she let herself look through the window, admiring the early twilight.

"Mm, so you like it, little bunny," a voice stated smugly from behind her.

Usagi spun around, her face going blank, her eyes flashing with anger.

"Matt," she said simply. "So you've resorted to kidnapping to get what you want, eh?"

Matt just grinned, his eyes sparkling with barely concealed mirth.

"I told you I'd get you, my little rabbit. One way or another, you were to be back in my arms. If it took kidnapping to get it that way?" He shrugged slightly. "Then so be it. After all, it worked, didn't it? You're back with me, right where you belong."

So saying, he sidled up alongside her, reaching out to put his arms around her to draw her near.

Usagi snarled and bit down on his arm, causing him to cry out and yank his arm back.

"Little vixen!" He screamed, cradling his bleeding arm tightly to his chest. Reaching out with his other hand, he hit her, hard, across the face, sending her sprawling to the floor.

Usagi cried out softly and clasped her hands to her lip, which had split open and begun bleeding profusely from the slap. Advancing on her, Matt raised his hand and hit her again, leaving a mark across her cheek.

Tears leaked down Usagi's cheeks, and she squeezed her eyes shut as pain lanced through her body.

Snarling, Matt retreated, once more clutching his arm with small teeth bites on it close to his chest.

"I'll be back, little bunny," he growled, and stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Usagi sighed and finally allowed tears to flow freely down her cheeks, letting go of all of the pent-up emotions she'd been storing. Her body heaved with sobs, tears cascading down her cheeks, falling to the floor. Slowly, she pulled herself back to the window, staring down at the bustling city below her, pulling her knees up to her chest and continuing to cry silently.

"Mamoru," she whispered softly through her cracked and bloody lips. "Please, Mamoru, please save me."

Sighing once more, she slipped blissfully back into oblivion.

Several hours later, Mamoru leaned back in his chair with a sigh.

"So, in two hours we commence Operation Save Usagi. Any last questions?"

Ami, Makoto, Minako, Motoki and Rei all blanched.

"Operation… Save… Usagi?" Minako finally blurted out. "What kind of a name is that?"

"Yeah, and when did we decide we were going to call it that?" Rei asked, folding her arms across her chest. "Personally, I like 'Operation Get Odango Atama out of Another Mess.'"

Motoki burst into laughter, subsiding only as Ami, Mamoru, Makoto and Minako glared at him.

"Okay, okay," he muttered, throwing a resentful glare at the four. "I get the picture. It wasn't a good name."

Turning to Rei, however, he winked slightly, causing the raven haired girl to grin.

"So anyways," Mamoru resumed, glaring at the two once more, "we'll meet back here at a little after ten. Remember to bring what you need, and only what you need."

None of the people in the room could miss the stress on the word only, and they glanced hesitantly at each other, nodding once to Mamoru.

"Mamoru," Minako asked hesitantly, breaking the small silence in the room. "Does this mean I can't bring my lipstick?"

Mamoru's head shot up, and he turned to glare at the blonde, before he saw the small smirk on her face, and let his head drop back down, his cheeks burning with embarrassment as the room cracked up with laughter.

"Lighten up, Mamoru, I was only joking," Minako giggled, leaning back against Motoki, who wrapped his arms around her.

Mamoru grumbled something under his breath and abruptly stood, heading to the door and opening it.

"Out, out, out!" He snapped, pointing out into the hallway with one finger. "And don't be late. We leave at precisely 10:05. Got it?"

The five people in the room stood up, gathering their things with mumbled acknowledgements and headed towards the door.

"Oh, and you guys?" Mamoru called to them, causing them all to wince as they turned around. He paused for a moment, and then threw them a small smile. "Thank you for your help. I'm sorry I've been such a jerk, I'm just… really worried about Usagi."

Minako's face softened and she hugged Mamoru fiercely.

"Don't worry, Mamoru. We'll get her back, and that creep will pay."

The others nodded in agreement, and a brief flash of determination showed in Mamoru's eyes as he nodded once, curtly.

"Now, get out of here before I turn back into the baka Usagi always thought I was," he grinned at them.

Laughing, Ami, Makoto, Minako, Motoki, and Rei all left the apartment, leaving Mamoru smiling and shaking his head behind them.

As he closed the door, however, he sighed and leaned his back up against it, squeezing his eyes shut tight, and bringing his hands up to his temples, rubbing them slowly.

"Oh, please, for the love of all that is good, please let this work. Please let us get Usagi safely out of this mess," he prayed quietly. "Please let us get her out."

Turning to the window in his room, he looked up at the Tokyo Tower once more, his gaze hardening, and turned his back on it, preparing what he'd need for that night.

Minako sighed, clutching onto Motoki's arm as the five made their way out onto the sidewalk outside of Mamoru's apartment and stopped.

"You guys, do you think Usagi's gonna be alright?" Minako asked quietly.

Rei's violet eyes flashed and she nodded abruptly.

"Of course she is. She's Odango Atama. She's gotten out of worse situations than this before."

Ami looked at the raven haired girl and shook her head slightly.

"I hope you're joking, Rei. She's never been in a situation like this before, ever. However, I do agree with you that she'll be fine. Usagi is a strong girl. It won't be easy to break her spirit. It's Mamoru that I worry about."

Ami's blue eyes looked back up at the apartment, worry apparent in her posture.

"I don't know what's going to happen tonight, but I can assure you of this much. I truly wouldn't want to be Matt when we get up there."

The group nodded their heads in agreement, and fell into silence for a moment.

"Well," Makoto finally said into the silence. "We should get going if we want to be back here in time. And remember." She straightened up and did her best Mamoru impression. "'Bring what you need, and only what you need'"

The group burst into laughter and departed, thoughts of their beloved friend and the plan they'd made fresh in their minds.

Well, you guys, there you have it. I'm so sorry it's so short, but the next one will be longer, I promise. It'll be the whole rescue of Usagi and all that jazz, and I'm still not sure what I want to happen with Matt; whether he'll escape and come back to get Usagi in future chapters, or if he's just going to die now and I'll end the story and start a new one. Let me know what you guys think, as I'm not sure whether or not this story is worth continuing. Thanks again for all of the support you've given me thus far. I love you all!

Lady Tsukino


	24. The Truths of Love: Chapter twenty four

The Truths of Love: Chapter twenty four

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Never have, never will, so please don't sue.

A/N: Hey guys. This chapter contains sexual content, so if you don't like that, don't read this. You've been warned.

10:00 couldn't roll around soon enough for Mamoru, and as the clock switched numerals to nine o'clock, he began pacing.

"We should have left sooner," he muttered. "The longer we wait, the more danger Usako is in."

Motoki rolled his eyes, reclining further back into the chair as he watched Mamoru's incessant pacing.

"Mamoru. Sit down. Now." His tone was commanding, and Mamoru glanced at him in surprise, before complying and sitting down on one of the couches. However, his foot began to tap impatiently.

"What time is it?" He asked.

"9:02." Motoki answered dryly.

Mamoru groaned and shot up from his seat, resuming his pacing. Motoki lightly smacked himself in the forehead with his palm, muttering slightly.

"Mamoru, pacing isn't going to do anything. Sit back down, and stay seated, please."

Frowning, Mamoru sat back down.

"Alright, let's go over the plan once more before the girls get here. I--"

"Mamoru! We've been over the plan fifteen times now. It's not going to change!" Motoki exclaimed, exasperated.

Mamoru scowled, but didn't cease his pacing, and after a minute, he went over and pressed his forehead against the window, staring out at Tokyo Tower, his fingers clenching tightly into fists. 'He'll pay,' he thought to himself with an animalistic growl. 'No one takes my Usako away from me. No one.'

Usagi awoke with a start, and a quick glance out the window showed her it was night time.

'Ugh, how long have I been sleeping?' She wondered to herself.

"So, the little bunny's awake, is she?" A sneering voice came from the corner.

Swinging around, Usagi glared hatefully at the man that had her captive.

"You son of a bitch," she snarled.

"Temper, temper," Matt drawled, one eyebrow raising in mock surprise. "I never knew my little rabbit had such a temper on her." Advancing on her, he bared his teeth in a feral grin. "We're going to have to stamp that spark of temper out of you, little one. You will submit to me, and before long, you'll be begging for me to take you back. And when that time comes…" He licked his lips in anticipation. "I'll be waiting for you."

Wrapping his arms around her, he gave her breast a painful squeeze, causing her to tense up, her eyes closing as a shudder ran through her body.

"Mm. A good little girl, aren't you? Don't worry, I'll be back in awhile. And when I come back, we'll have a little…fun." Smirking, he removed his arms from around her and left the room.

Usagi shuddered once he was gone, moving to wrap her arms around herself as she sank down to the floor, her eyes vacant, and she rocked herself back and forth gently.

…

Finally it was ten o'clock. Mamoru's eyes lit up in anticipation, and he couldn't hold back a shout of glee when the doorbell rang, causing Motoki to roll his eyes.

Running to the door, he opened it and almost stopped dead at what he saw.

There, just outside his door, was Usagi. Long blonde h air was pulled up into two meatball shapes on either side of her head, large blue eyes looking back at him.

Shaking his head, he snapped out of it.

"Minako. Girls, come in," he muttered slightly, standing aside to allow them in.

Minako just smirked and shook her head, irritated as the two ponytails swished behind her.

"I don't know how Usagi can do this," she complained. "It took me at least half an hour to get my hair up. It's so much easier to let it hang down."

Mamoru rolled his eyes, and Rei reached out to tug one of the ponytails.

"Well, at least it's like having her back already," Makoto commented. "There's whining and bickering again."

Mamoru rolled his eyes and stood up.

"Alright, so you know the plan," he began. "Us—Minako will go up there, pretending to be Usagi. As she distracts Matt, the rest of us will find Usagi. And Minako… don't get hurt, is that understood? This guy…"

"I know, Mamoru," Minako cut in sharply. "I won't let him hurt me, I swear."

"Good." Checking his watch, he realized it was time to go, and anticipation boiled up inside of him.

"Ready? It's time."

Nodding in determination, the girls and Motoki stood up as well, gathering their jackets and slipping them on as they walked out the door.

"It's time to get our Usagi back."

…

"I'm back, little rabbit. Did you miss me?" The drawling voice from the doorway made her shudder, and draw farther into herself. "Mm… I'll take that as a yes."

Smirking, Matt made his way over to the girl, 'No, woman,' he corrected himself with a wicked grin. 'I made her a woman. She should be thanking me.' At this thought he scowled, for the woman on the floor definitely did NOT look like she was going to go down on her knees, thanking and praising him, the one who had helped her grow into a woman. 'I brought her to womanhood; I helped her find who she is,' he thought, a bitter look on his face. 'She should be praising the ground I walk on, not cowering in…fear…?'

At this thought, he stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes going wide in alarm.

'My rabbit is… afraid of me? But… why? I never did anything but help her grow. I never did anything but love her. Did I?'

"U-Usagi…?" His voice was a low plea. "Usagi, what did I do? Why do you cower when I come near you?"

Usagi looked up, her expression wary, unbelieving.

"As if you don't know, Matt. Don't play innocent with me; you know very well why I--" She paused as she looked at him, watching as his shoulders began to shake, and for a moment, she thought he was laughing. That was until she saw a single tear running down his cheek. A frown marred her face.

'I don't buy it,' she thought. 'He can't fool me; he's an actor. He's acting. He knows what's wrong; he just wants me to come and comfort him.'

"U-Usagi… I don't… understand. What went wrong between us? Why did I lose your love?"

There was something in his voice… an innocence, of sorts, that caused Usagi's eyes to widen.

'Does he…really not know? Does he really not remember what he did to me?' She wondered, her eyes raising to examine his face.

Slowly, very slowly, she brought herself to her knees, and then, even slower, finally rose to her feet, taking one small step, and then another, closer to him.

"Matt. What do you remember?" she asked softly. "What do you remember about the days before… before…"

"Before what?" Matt asked, confusion laced in his voice. "What happened? I can't… you just stopped loving me!" His voice was so full of pain, so full of loss, that Usagi's heart cried out for her to go to him, to wrap her arms around him and tell him it was alright. But she held back. Something wasn't right here, but she couldn't place her finger on it.

"All I know is that one day, we were in love; the next… you hated me." Matt let out a light whimper, and sank to his knees. "All I wanted was for you to love and appreciate me. Was that so much to ask? I helped you. I made you a woman. And you left me." Tears began to course down his face, dropping lightly to the floor, and Usagi felt her heart nearly break in two.

"Oh, Matt," she murmured gently, moving to wrap her arms around the man. This was the side of him she'd fallen in love with… the sweet, innocent man.

Abruptly, Matt's tears stopped, and he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him. Something changed in him, and he started nuzzling against her crotch gently. Usagi froze and began to back up, but Matt's arms wrapping tighter around her prevented her from moving, and he nuzzled more forcefully against her.

"Ah, ah, Usagi," he purred gently. "You can't leave me now. I need some… comfort."

Suddenly, Usagi realized the trap. As soon as she did, she berated herself, but already, it was too late. Matt's hands began to tug her pants down, and before she could do anything, they were on the floor, and her panties weren't long in being removed, either.

Gasping, Usagi struggled, trying to pull out of his grasp, but the more she struggled, the tighter his grasp on her hips became.

"Mm. That's right. Struggle, my little rabbit. It makes things that much more interesting." Slowly, his mouth descended down to the triangle of hair between her legs, and stuck his tongue out, licking slowly once, dragging his tongue through the hair. Usagi gasped, and cried out, struggling even more to pull away from him.

"Matt, no! Stop! Please, Matt, don't do this!" She pleaded, tears running down her face. Her words went unheeded, though, as she suddenly felt something warm and moist thrusting in between her legs.

Her vision went white, as pain and pleasure mixed together. Dimly, she could hear someone crying out, and it registered in her foggy mind that it was probably herself.

Matt grinned as he lapped at the juices from her sex.

'Mm. Much better than I'd have thought,' he mused as he continued to lightly lick at her insides, his grip on her waist loosening slightly.

Beads of sweat dotted Usagi's forehead as she struggled once more, and finally managed to tear away from Matt's grip. The loss of his tongue from inside of her came as a shock, but one she quickly got over as she bent down, pulling her panties and pants back up, tears coursing down her face.

Matt remained as he was, the taste of her prominent on his tongue, his lips slightly swollen, a sheen of her juices standing out. Greedily, he licked his lips and stood to his full height, towering above her, and took a menacing step forward, causing her to back up.

"Now, now, my little rabbit, I'm not done with you yet," he said softly, his voice husky, his eyes dark with lust.

Suddenly, the sound of voices from the hall cut him off, and he froze, looking over his shoulder.

"Mm, hold that thought, love," he murmured. "It seems like we have… guests. I'll be back."

Standing up, he licked his lips once more, and moved to the door, leaving Usagi to crumple to the ground once more, sobs ringing through her body.

…

"Hello?" Minako called out in a cheerful voice, pitching her voice just slightly to sound more like Usagi. "Anyone here?"

"Minako, you're overdoing it!" Mamoru hissed between clenched teeth. "Just… act… like Usagi!"

"Shut up, will you, Mamoru? She's doing her best," Motoki snapped in defense of his girlfriend.

Minako threw him a grateful smile, and continued calling out, though in less of a cheerful voice.

Suddenly, a figure rounded the corner, and his eyes widened in surprise.

"U-Usagi?" Matt stammered. "But… how… you're in there!" He pointed around the corner, from which he'd just appeared.

"Ano, Matt, are you alright?" Minako asked, lacing her voice with concern. "I don't know what you're talking about… I've been wandering around here for hours, trying to find my way out. Do you think you can help me?"

She tilted her head to one side, sticking her lower lip out in the best impression of a Usagi pout that Mamoru had ever seen.

It worked. Matt quickly closed the distance between the two, his eyes darkening with lust, and wrapped his arm possessively around Minako's waist, barely noticing as she flinched away from him.

As it was, Mamoru and the rest of the girls had a tough time restraining Motoki from going after Matt, so hard was Motoki struggling to come to the protection of his girlfriend.

"She'll be fine!" Mamoru hissed quietly in Motoki's ear. "She can take care of herself. If there's one girl that I don't have to worry about with Matt, it's Minako. Now, come on. Let's go get Usagi, and then we can get Minako."

Defeated, Motoki let out a sigh and ceased his struggles, though his eyes glinted with determination as he headed down the corridor, rounding the bend… and staring in dismay at the long row of doors.

"How are we supposed to find her now?" Motoki asked in dismay.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Rei asked causally. "We open all the doors. We're bound to find her in one of them."

"And if they're locked?" Mamoru snarled.

"Then we break them down," Makoto answered.

…

There it is, you guys. Sorry it's been so long… but be happy. There's at least a little sex scene, right? I'll try to do more, later… now is when the good stuff begins. I'm sorry it took so long; I didn't know how I wanted it to play out, and now that I have at least a little bit of an idea, I'll write more. So… Review!


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